Delhi Book Fair opens to huge crowd despite rain

Overcast conditions and rain failed to dampen the spirits of booklovers in the Capital on the inaugural day of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2013 at Pragati Maidan on Monday. Ritam Halder reports.

Overcast conditions and rain failed to dampen the spirits of booklovers in the Capital on the inaugural day of the New Delhi World Book Fair 2013 at Pragati Maidan on Monday.

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Within an hour of the fair being opened by junior human resource development minister Shashi Tharoor, people thronged to various stalls at the venue.

"It is an amazing opportunity to be able to be amid so many books. I attend the fair every year and take back home some amazing books," said Reema Chaturvedi, a college student who had come with her friends.

According to this 20-year-old, the joy of being one of the first ones at this year's book fair was much greater. "My parents asked me not to visit today, citing bad weather. But I had to come. And here I am," she said.

So why are Delhiites still making a beeline at a book fair when a coveted volume is just a couple of clicks away on the web?

It's about the charm, said Sanjay Singh, 60, who had come all the way from Rohini.

"There is a certain charm about visiting a place where you can see books of different genres. You can browse through the pages and then decide whether to buy it or not. You cannot experience this online," Singh said.

As the theme of the fair is Indigenous Voices: Mapping India's Folk and Tribal Literature, an entire pavilion showcasing life of various indigenous people was on display.

The Author's Corner, which is a highlight of this year's fair, saw many young authors discussing their work with people. One such author was Anupam Srivastava, a former journalist and development professional. He was talking about his book A Piece of the Giant -. a satire on Indian democracy and its colonial baggage.