Even as speakers debated key subjects on Day 2 of the 83rd Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana on Saturday, literary enthusiasts thronged the book exhibition.
Representatives of educational institutions made best use of the opportunity to buy books which were being offered at up to 50% discount for their libraries.
In some stalls, there was no space for visitors to browse books because of the heavy rush. The works of Jnanpith awardees, such as Kuvempu, Shivarama Karanth, Girish Karnad and Chandrashekar Kambar, were being picked up briskly. The buyers included some police officers taking a break from duty.
G.B.T. Mohan of Geethanjali Publishers said the response has been overwhelming. “Our stall has been busy since Day 1 of the Sammelana.” Visitors are picking up stories by Shivarama Karanth, books on D. Devaraja Urs, works of Kuvempu, Ha Ma Nayak, G.S. Shivarudrappa and Na D’Souza, he added.
Rajendra Prasad Honnalgere, a Kannada faculty at Sarada Vilas College in Mysuru, said it is the 23rd Sahitya Sammelana where he has been hosting a book exhibition. “We have been selling books at cost price to encourage Kannada book reading,” he said.
Prasaranga of Karnataka University was offering books printed in 1976.
