The National Book Fair, 2006 begins on September 1 at Balrampur Gardens. It will go on till September 10. This is going to be the biggest book fair ever in Lucknow and, the best part, book lovers won’t be short on cash for all that shopping since it’s going to be just the first week of the month! All the three fairs in the preceding years by the Federation of Publishers & Booksellers Association in India (FPBAI) had been organised either close to Diwali or towards the end of the month with many left ruing the timing.
The first fair in 2003 had just 65 stall. The second had 85. Last year’s had 100. And, this time, there will be well over 114 stalls. Sales too have been rising. The first one had registered sales of Rs 25 lakh and the last one notched up sales worth Rs 75 lakh. This time the organisers are expecting to hit Rs one crore.
Further, this going to be the first ‘fire-safe’ fair in the state in recent times. The Federation has replaced ‘fire-friendly’ PVC roofing on pre-fabricated hangars with aluminum roofing. The fair has two hangers instead of one to make it more organised and spaced out. The international standard hangars are airy and well-ventilated along with ceiling and pedestal fans all over.
Rajeev Sardana of Sardana's Art Centre Pvt Ltd has made a special 18 mt hangar for the fair. They did it in 10 days. He says, "The aluminum sheets that we used for roofing was not ordinary aluminum sheets. They have special coating due to which a sheet deflects back more than 70 per cent heat of sunrays. We had put up these hangars at the Frankfurt Book Fair too. The two hangers were brought to Lucknow in 15 big trucks."
{{/usCountry}}Rajeev Sardana of Sardana's Art Centre Pvt Ltd has made a special 18 mt hangar for the fair. They did it in 10 days. He says, "The aluminum sheets that we used for roofing was not ordinary aluminum sheets. They have special coating due to which a sheet deflects back more than 70 per cent heat of sunrays. We had put up these hangars at the Frankfurt Book Fair too. The two hangers were brought to Lucknow in 15 big trucks."
{{/usCountry}}The attraction of the fair is expected to be the Bestsellers’ Stall apart from a series of literary events lined up for each day of the fair.
There’s going to be a proper food court this time with better food, snacks and refreshments. Proper water and toilet facilities have also been organised. The organisers are going to avoid cold-drinks at the food court.
Eminent poet Gopal Das ‘Neeraj’ will inaugurate the fair this time. Earlier, the Governor used to inaugurate the fair. The fair will be open from 11 am to 10 pm every day.
So, what you waiting for? Get, set… go reading!