Between the lines

October 15 saw the inauguration of Pune8217;s seventh book fair at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch. Though not on the grand lines of the New Delhi and Kolkatta book fairs, the Pune Book Fair provides an important meeting ground for publishers, booksellers, book distributors, librarians, professionals, academicians and booklovers. 8220;We cater to people with more distinct taste and expectations in literature,8221; says Mr. V.B.Joshi, Co convener of the fair. 8220;The topics and themes on display are slightly offbeat, and many in vernacular languages. Our aim is to give smaller or individual publishers a chance to display their books,8221; adds he.

In turn this also offers booklovers a truly diverse linguistic and quantitative experience, which was evident at the venue, where, books on Konkani literature, classic erotica and Falun Dafa, the banned and brutally persecuted practice in China, were all on offer, often at throwaway prices.

The exhibition hosts over a 100 stalls; few of which stand out more than the others. Ebrahim Aghajari, who is currently completing his Ph.D in engineering and instrumentation in Pune, manages the stall on Iranian culture. Aghajari guides you through the intricacies of Persian, Urdu and Arabic literature and the wonders of ancient cities of Tehran, and Kashan in Isfahan.

In complete contrast to this quiet corner is the Lokayat, a stall that bursts with revolutionary literature, slogans and posters. Be it a dissertation on Nandigram, writings of Noam Chomsky, documentaries on Godhra riots, Ayodhya issue or discussions on our post-modern world, it is sure to find a place here.

Magazines play a prominent part in this fair too. Rohan Book Centre which houses magazines from across the globe, is a place where one can pick up original copies of Vogue and National Geographic for a steal, apart from other lesser known but equally interesting foreign journals and publications.

Adjacent to it is the Heritage India stall, a Pune based publication. Each page contains a slice of India8217;s rich and varied heritage from wildlife to art and history. The magazine is beautifully packaged with high quality photographs.

The Vivek Book Depot and Pragati Book Centre are also places where with patience one can unearth good second hand books. The former especially stocks classics by Henry James, Daniel Defoe and William Makepeace Thackeray. The fair abounds in vernacular literature, be it philosophy or mythology based comic books, all is on offer in Hindi and Marathi. World Health Organization WHO also makes its presence felt, disseminating health information and researched publications on health problem in Africa and South 8211; East Asia. Libre Edition also presented The Shine, the first english translation of French writer Frederic Mari. On from the October 15 to 19 from 10 am to 8 pm, the Pune book fair is truly a hunting ground for bibliophiles. Check it out.