After slow start, book fair sees surge in footfall

BHUBASESWA: After a dull start, the Rajdhani Book Fair witnessed rising footfalls during the weekend as book lovers in the city thronged the exhibition grounds.

Book sellers said the demand for classics had increased among readers.

"Due to some reason, the first few days were a bit dull. But since Saturday evening, the attendance of visitors in the fair was good," said R K Swain, one of the organisers of the fair.

People of all age groups flocked to different stalls and browsed for their favourite authors.

"It's glad to see that love for physical books has increased among readers in the digital age. Many youngsters are asking for classic novels in both English and Odia," said B K Mohanty, manager of a publishing house.

Authors such as Gopinath Mohanty, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Surendra Mohanty, Manoj Das, Nityananda Mahapatra and young writers have proven most popular.

Around 300 stalls were active in the fair, creating a unique convergence of booksellers, publishers, accessories, equipment, educational institutes and coaching classes.

"The smell of printed pages attracts me to book fairs — which I do not get when I shop or read online," said Rachita Nayak, a graduation student.

The huge variety of children's books was another major attraction.

"I bought lots of activity books for my toddlers, who otherwise end up watching television throughout the day. There is huge variety of books available for children including picture story books, comics, moral stories and accessories," said Nirlipta Sahu, a parent.

Due to some reason, the first few days were a bit dull. But since Saturday evening, the attendance of visitors in the fair was good RK swain Organizer