“Geronimo Stilton,” beams a nine year old when asked what he is looking for. The stall owner holds out a bunch of “knowledge-based books” that the father looks at eagerly. But the kid is not very interested.
At another stall, students from GRN school are busy copying down information from reference books. One is copying recipes; “for my mother,” he says shyly, as his mates laugh.
“Online it is ₹6500 but I am giving it to you for ₹4000,” comes a disembodied voice from the crush of milling bodies. Seeing theyoung man’s face fall, I press forward to see what it was he was trying to buy and am greeted with an array of telescopes, binoculars, microscopes, magnifying glasses, magnetic games and more.
All these scenes are from the ongoing Coimbatore Book Festival. School and college buses in the parking lot bear testimony to the interest that this fair has generated in the city. While there is much emphasis on “knowledge” and “information”, there are also quirky offerings. Like Dazzling Disguises and Other Clever Costumes: Over 50 step-by-step projects to make, paint, sew, prepare and wear . If you’re heading for or planning a costume party, check it out. Propped next to this was Raghu Rai’s photo essay Outside the Margins , which tells stories of invisible people.
A colourful display of pouches and stationery at The Nesavu stall catches plenty of eyes but I am taken with a bunch of sticky notes shaped like leeks, brinjals and carrots. The fancy handmade paper books and diaries leave me grateful that I left my wallet behind.
By 11.00 am, the huge hall is packed and cries of “look at this”, “watch where you are going,” “where has that boy gone?” ring out over the calls of the sales people enticing you to look at their wares. The salesman at the Soorya Educationist stall seems to be in three places simultaneously, talking about different things with different people.
At the Thumbi stall, one wall is devoted to the story of Sadako Sasaki. A photo of Sadako is surrounded by the paper cranes. Copies of the children’s magazine and the books from Thannaram publications are exhibited enticingly.
Apart from children’s books — “Children’s Books, Unbelievable price, each ₹50, 70, 90,” proclaims one booth — there is plenty for adults to check out. Media houses have their stalls here as do Tamil and English publishing houses. Books on art nestle cheek by jowl with recipe books and fiction. The last is a vast range covering literary and pop fiction, sci-fi, romance, thriller, crime ...
The prevailing sentiment was summed up by a college boy, “I’ll come back with my parents or get some money to buy things. I’ve marked down a lot that I want.”
The Coimbatore Book Festival at Codissia until June 28. Open from 11.00 am to 8.00 pm. Open to all
