Mail News Service
Jamshedpur: The 10-day book fair organised by the Tagore Society at Rabindra Bhavan entered its seventh day on Thursday, with the sprawling courtyard filled with the unmistakable scent of paper and the charm of literature. Running daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., the fair has brought together more than 60 publishers, offering a wide range of titles. Among the busiest sections were children’s books and Bengali literature.
Rare first editions of Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali, freshly bound copies of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Devdas and Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Pratham Alo drew significant crowds.
Hindi literature lovers also found plenty to celebrate, with strong demand for Gulzar’s new ghazals, Rahat Indori’s latest works, the 100th edition of Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s Madhushala, novels by Surendra Verma and poetry collections by Kumar Vishwas.
For young readers, the colourful world of Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murthy and iconic comics like Chacha Chowdhary and Billu added excitement. Children wandered through the aisles smiling, their hands full of storybooks and comics.
As the fair nears its final phase, the number of buyers has begun to rise, but overall attendance remains lower than previous years. Stall owners expressed disappointment, noting a drop in youth participation and warning that such trends may affect their decision to return.
“The fewer young visitors this year is worrying. If the youth drift away from books, it won’t be good for the new generation,” a bookseller said. Many reported a 20–25 percent decline in sales compared to last year.
Religious books lead in sales
Stalls selling religious literature continue to attract the highest footfall. The Geeta Press Gorakhpur stall remains the most crowded, offering everything from Hanuman Chalisa and Ramcharit Manas to Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta, Ramayana and Mahabharata.
These titles—available in pocket-sized booklets to large, ornate editions—are selling briskly. Similarly, stalls of Vivekananda Sansthan, Kabir Vani and Osho are also drawing steady streams of buyers.
Despite lower turnout, organisers remain hopeful that the final days will boost sales and revive the fair’s festive spirit.
