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Bibliophiles make a beeline for Load the Box book fair in Chandigarh
Load the Box book fair is back in Chandigarh until April 16. Readers can buy a box and fit as many books they can in it, with over 10 lakh new and pre-owned books available, including genres such as fantasy, romance, crime, non-fiction, self-help, young adult and children's. Rahul Pandey, co-founder of Delhi-based start-up Kitab Lovers, says physical books remain popular despite digital options, adding the event aims to encourage reading habits and make quality books accessible. The fair features local authors and affordable prices, according to Pandey.
Tricity bibliophiles, the one-of-its-kind book fair, Load the Box, is back at Lajpat Rai Bhawan in Chandigarh till April 16.
One can buy a box and fit as many books as they can in it, as long as it closes flat. The boxes are available in three sizes ranging from ₹1,199 to ₹2,999.
Book lovers can pick and choose from over 10 lakh carefully curated new and pre-owned books available in multiple genres including fantasy, romance, crime, non-fiction, self-help books, young adult, children’s books, etc.
On the decline of reading habits in the social media age, Rahul Pandey, co-founder of Delhi-based start-up Kitab Lovers, which is organising the event, says, “I don’t think there’s much decline. With time, reading preferences might have changed due to digital reading options, but there is still a substantially big market for physical books. Also, book-reading culture keeps growing strong despite the digital media onslaught.”
“This is because a large section of readers still prefer reading physical books because of the touch and feel associated with it. On Kindle and other digital book formats, prolonged reading strains the eyes which is not the case with physical books,” he adds.
On hosting the second edition of the said book fair in tricity, Pandey says, “We are elated to be back in Chandigarh. This time we have brought in a wide range of books for all age groups, that too at affordable prices.”
“Our aim is to encourage and improve reading habit in people of all age groups and satiate their inner bibliophiles. We believe everyone should have access to quality books and that has been our main motivation behind organising Load the Box events across the country,” he adds.
City-based authors are also displaying their books at the venue. One of the authors, Radhika Anand, whose maiden fictional romantic novel, Love or Ruined, is on display at the book fair, says, “It’s a great opportunity for budding authors to reach out to a larger audience. This initiative allows us to know the taste of the local readers while interacting with them.”
Arpan Kaur, an avid reader, says she enjoys reading classics and the fair had a lot of those, including some leather-sleeved hardbounds.
”I managed to find some interesting cookbooks and biographies to add to my collection. The crime and thiller section also has all major authors’ works to explore,” says Deepak Sharma, a student.
Parent of two, Gunjan Srivastava, says, “I bought some illustrated children’s books for the kids and romance novels for myself.”
