'I gifted some books to my father...'

Chennai Book Fair 2019 - A Report

Apna Sushma

The 42nd edition of the Chennai Book Fair was held in Nandanam YMCA ground from 4th January 2019 to 20th January 2019.

The book fair is usually held for 10 to 13 days but for the first time it has been extended by four more days. This book fair was organised by the Booksellers and the Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI).

There were over 800 stalls. Some of the stalls are Puthinam Books, Agasthiar Publications, Oxford University press, Penguin Publication, Vasantha Prasuram, Poompuhar pathippagam, Tamil Desam, Parisal Puthaga Nilayam, Park Book House, Amrudha Pathippagam, etc. The religious book stalls like Islamic foundation trust were almost running empty.

My favourite book stalls are Vamsi Books, Narmadha Pathipagam, Nakkheeran, Bharathi Puthakalayam, Arivalayam, Kalachuvadu Publications, New century Book house, and Bharathi Pathippagam. The organisers gave enough concern to the child readers by providing stalls like Children World Publication, Children’s Book Trust and Books for children.

This year, I have bought dozens of books like Pen Ean Adimaiyanaal, Saripadhi Penkal Samamanavarkal dhana?, and Penniyam Pesalam Vanga from Bharathi Puthakalayam, Venkat Saminathan’s Cinema Endra Peyaril from Vamsi publication, Sabeetha Joseph’s Devika Mudal Jyothika Varai from Nakkheeran Veliyeedu, K. Bharathi’s Tamil Cinemavil Pengal from Vikadan Prasuram, S. Theodore Baskaran’s Cinemaakottakai from Kalachuvadu Publications, S. Dinesh’s Maatru Cinema and Padmaja’s Nilazhalagi from Pesaamozhi Publications, Saravana Theertha’s Ootha Nira Dhevathaigal from Vallinam Publications. I have purchased these books especially for by project.  

Apart from project requirement, I have brought some general books to improve my reading involvement. S. RamaKrishnan’s Sanjaram is about the history of the life of Nathaswaram group people. Vairamuthu’s Moondram Ulaga Por is about the life of the farmers. Sundra Ramasami’s Oru Puliya Marathin Kadhai is about Nagerkovil village stories and Jeyamogan’s Aram is an anthology of short stories.

I gifted some books to my father like Ambedkar Andrum Endrum, K. Prapanjan’s Vaanam vasapadum and Imayam’s Aarumugam and Peththavan.

The director Pa. Ranjith’s Neelam cultural center had set up a book stall, which had displayed almost 30 various prolific leaders’ sculptures including Dr. Ambedkar’s. The stall was flooded with books on Ambedkar and Periyar.

I waited for a long time to get the entrance ticket. I had a nice snack at the food stall, but the price was high. There were over 800 stalls, so I was not able to visit all the stalls within three days. Due to the jostling crowd of the book lovers, there was plenty of parking and so, I was not able to read the books patiently.

I visited the book fair three days, mostly during the weekend, because the opening time for book fair during weekend is 10 am, which would help me to read the books patiently.

The book stalls were labelled with the Publication’s name as well as with number series which helped the readers to locate the stalls easily. The stalls were devoid of plastics and the book sellers used paper bags instead. The organizers and the volunteers were very helpful to find the needed books.

The food stalls were far away from the book stall, so for the readers comfort the hot drinks were allowed inside the book fair. The portable rest room was kept to the left of the book fair for the visitors’ convenience.

During the valediction ceremony, Mr. R. Mahadevan, Judge of the High Court distributed the awards for 30 publishers, who contributed their best publications. In addition to that, he also gave prizes for the school students who won in the elocution competitions.