With the advent of digital technology, many predicted that books would soon be on their way out. Not only has that been proven wrong, but book sales have increased. According to data from GfK Entertainment, a subsidiary of GfK, and Nielsen BookData, the global book market recorded a rise in revenues in many markets in the first eight months of 2023. The gains ranged from single figures in economically strong sales territories such as France (+1.3%) and the UK (+1.8%) to considerable increases in the emerging book markets of India (+8.7%) and Mexico (+10%). A good book continues to be a draw. Kolkata, the City of Joy has always been a cultural hub and a bibliophile's haven, with independent and specialty bookstores, secondhand book stalls, as well as annual lit fests. The largest and most popular is the Kolkata Book Fair or Boi Mela. The 47th edition of the Kolkata Book Fair will be held from January 18 to 31 this year. And it is set to be the largest ever, with more than 1,000 stalls.
This year's stalls will be a combination of 900 larger stalls and 100 smaller ones, with the latter accommodating small publishers who have requested space to mark their presence for the first time. The United Kingdom will be this year's focus theme country.
There will be publishers from the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Thailand, Bangladesh, Australia, Peru, Argentina, and Colombia. According to sources, the previous edition of the exhibition drew over 26 lakh visitors and produced Rs 25 crore in sales. Oxford University Press, Rupa, Penguin Random House, Harper Collins, Hachette, Bloomsbury, and Pan Macmillan are among the prominent national and multinational publishers anticipated to participate in the fair.
For the locals, this isn't just your regular run-of-the-mill winter book fair it is so much more. It is a chance to stock up on rare books, books by local writers, and pick up some of the little magazines that Bengal is famous for. It is also a chance to meet their favourite writers and artists. Since its inception in 1972, the Kolkata Book Fair has been the largest in the world by attendance, attracting a footfall of over two million.
It is mostly for book lovers and not wholesale distributors, making it the largest non-trade book fair in the world. Immerse yourself in the thousands of books available across regional languages and scour the stalls for rare gems, both from Indian and international publishers. There are also regular author meets, so be on the lookout for writers you admire.
One of the unique aspects of the fair is that every year there is a country picked out to be that year's theme. The embassy of the chosen country is assigned a stall where visitors can go and check the items on offer. Many, though not all, book stalls incorporate the year's theme in their collection
Where: Central Park Mela Ground, Salt Lake, Kolkata
When: Thursday, January 18 – Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Check out the website here.