What Kolkata is bingeing on at the 48th Boimela

Kolkata’s passion for books is well-known, but this literary event becomes even more enjoyable when you have delicious local treats to savour. After hours of exploring the 48th International Kolkata Book Fair, nothing satisfies quite like a plate of crispy bhetki fish fry, some spicy telebhaja, melt-in-the-mouth nolen gurer rosogolla, or a refreshing glass of masala cold drink. Abhiraj Chatterjee, a visitor said, "The Kolkata Boimela is not just about books but also about food. I look for new sweets to try every year while I shop for books." To this, Sneha Gan, another visitor added, "A visit to the book fair isn’t complete without enjoying a piece crispy fish fry."

Finger-licking delights that grabbed all attention:
Seasonal twists on traditional sweets stole the spotlight, with visitors enjoying rich nolen gurer malai chop, rasmalai, shorbhaja, and gurer baked rosogolla. A stall from Nabadwip lured visitors with its creamy mishti doi, while premium dry fruit stalls from Kashmir, offering Kahwa, also drew large crowds, turning the Book Fair into a sensory experience –much more than just a celebration of books.

Trending dishes:

• Innovative paans like fruity cocktail paan, chocolate paan, and Rosoraj Golap paan
• Prawn balls and prawn batter fry
• Pulao with spicy kosha mangsho
• Chinese food combo
• Momo
• Papdi chaat

A golden opportunity for food sellers also
The IKBF is not only a haven for book lovers but also a platform for vendors, who travel from all corners of Kolkata and beyond to set up their stalls. “Fried food items are always in demand, so we make sure to bring new options every year,” said Aman, a seller from North 24 Parganas. Zain Iqbal, from Kashmir who sells dry fruits, added, “We come here every year to set up our stall, and saffron and walnuts are our best-selling products.”
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