The National Book Fair at Balrampur Gardens is drawing readers of all ages, with its diverse collection of titles across genres attracting an enthusiastic response. The fair’s nearly 140 stalls, offering books in Hindi, English and Urdu, have seen footfall and sales that organisers describe as “beyond expectations”.
Open daily from 11am to 9pm until October 11, the fair has also emerged as a family outing, with young readers and students arriving alongside their parents. The growing crowds have turned the event into a “family buying” affair, with visitors browsing and picking up books across age groups and interests.
“Weekends are when we expect the highest footfall, but the response on weekdays has been equally impressive. During the day, we’re seeing a large number of students and young people, while in the evenings, many are returning with their parents. It’s encouraging for both sellers and the culture of reading,” says the fair convenor Manoj Singh Chandel.
English classics, motivational books, religious books and children’s books lead the pack, but Hindi and Urdu books too are doing well, along with Anime books which are in big demand, he adds.
{{/usCountry}}English classics, motivational books, religious books and children’s books lead the pack, but Hindi and Urdu books too are doing well, along with Anime books which are in big demand, he adds.
{{/usCountry}}Trending books
Yogesh Mishra, a student, says he picked up a collection of classic books and confesses that he has been guided by Instagram trends.
“I bought Manohar Shyam Joshi’s Kasak, Kanta Bharti’s Ret Ki Machli, Dharamvir Bharti’s Gunahon Ke Devta, Shri Lal Shukla’s Rag Darbari and Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s Rashmirathi. These are all classics, but I never got a chance to read them. But these are the most recommended books on social media”
Books of popular India writers Chetan Bhagat, Amish Tripathi, Durjoy Datta too are selling well.
Fiction by new-age authors are selling well!
Fiction written by young and contemporary authors are getting a good response from buyers.
“Books of young writers like Sahitya Akademi Yuv Puraskar awardee Nilotpal Mrinal’s book Aughar and Vishvaguru and Lucknow’s very own Divya Prakash Dubey’s Musafir Cafe and Almost Pyaar are getting great response. Manav Kaul’s Coffee Ke Cup Mein Chai and Atul Kumar Rai’s Chandpur Ki Chanda are also selling well. We had Divya for a meet-the-author and book-signing session and we have 500 copies sold in little time, so surely people are interested in Hindi books,” says Manoj Jha of Dinkar Pustakalay.
Jha says that he has increased his stalls from two to six this time and getting a good response at all of them.
Drawn by Urdu
BBA student Khanak Sinha picked up Har Mauke Ke Liye Shayari which is the hottest selling book at the Rekta Publishers stall. The stall also stocks an Urdu-to-Hindi and English translation guide, which sells well.
“I bought this book earlier, but my friend took it from me so I am again picking this as it has some amazing and simple shayari that fits all occasions. I have also bought a guide,” he says.
Mohd Faisal from the stall says, “Manto’s short stories books, Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Firaq Gorakhpuri are the most popular works people come for. But, the best sellers are Waseem Barelvi, Nida Fazli, Ahmed Faraz and Parveen Shakir’s books.”