Heavy rain plays spoilsport on first 2 days of Agartala Book Fair, footfall down to a trickle

Talking about the tepid response from book lovers, Tirthankar Das, proprietor of Niharika Prokashoni, said, “We have 46 new titles (books) this year. We have been publishing the highest number of books in the state since 2017. The sales have been low since 2020 when the book fair moved to Hapania. But this year, business has been particularly bad owing to adverse weather conditions.”

Das added that his publication has not even managed to notch up sales worth Rs 2,000 on the first two days of the fair.

Rahul Roy of Kolkata-based Patra Bharati publications said the first two days were depressing but they were hopeful of getting a better response with an improvement in the weather.

Executives from Tripurabani Prokashoni, Mukhaboyob, and a few other local publication houses also said they did not have any noteworthy sales on the first two days.

Executives from Tripurabani Prokashoni, Mukhaboyob, and a few other local publication houses also said they did not have any noteworthy sales on the first two days.

Dipen Mandal from Youthers, another Kolkata-based publication house, said, “Showers are common this time of the year. So, we came prepared with tarpaulin, and extra sheets, among others. We didn’t experience water seeping through the roof so far this year.”

Rajib Ghosh, a professor of Bengali at Belonia College, who has also authored a book, said schoolchildren and college-goers were busy with exams, resulting in the low turnout.

He suggested that book fair organisers should think about revising the dates in the future.

Debananda Dam from Gyan Bichitra publications, one of the oldest publishing firms in Tripura, said, “The first two days were a washout. It does not still feel like a book fair due to the weather, distance from Agartala city, and a host of other factors.”

The Agartala Book Fair will continue till March 3 this year.

The publisher said organisers need to think of readers in the districts as well and revise the book fair timing to 12-8 pm from 2-9 pm.

An executive of the Agartala Book Fair organising committee said 191 publications – 110 from Tripura, two from Delhi, two from UP, six from Assam, 66 from West Bengal, and five from Bangladesh – have set up stalls at the fair this year, nine more than last year.

Speaking about the rain, the official said, “All possible support was given to publishers for shower management. There was some problem due to rainfall but it was not that bad. The sale on opening day was Rs 2.01 lakh; the figures for the second day are not in yet.”

Meanwhile, an official from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said the Sadar sub-division of West Tripura received 72.4 mm of rainfall in the last two days, and light to moderate rainfall is likely to occur in a few places of the district in the next 24 hours.

The Agartala Book Fair will continue till March 3 this year.