33rd Guwahati Book Fair starts with impressive footfall

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The first day of the 33rd Guwahati Book Fair being held at the Assam Engineering Institute playground at Chandmari has witnessed impressive number of bibliophiles and visitors.

The development has enthused the book sellers and publishers. They hope that the number of visitors to the book fair will rise sharply. The Publication Board, Assam is organizing the fair.

The State's oldest book fair was inaugurated in the evening on December 30, a year after it was put on hold twice due to the anti-CAA movement COVID-19 pandemic. "Since the book fair is being organized after two postponements we are expecting a good sale," an organizer said.

The fair will officially conclude on 10th January, 2021. The entry into the book fair has been declared free by the organizers so as to enable wider participation by book lovers.

The book fair is being organized with a budget of Rs. 50 lakh and will consist of 117 book stalls. It will simultaneously host various other events including book releases. As many as twelve selected books are said to be released in the book fair.

A book titled "Bibah Poddhotiaru Biyanaam" – a book on wedding rituals and songs of Assam, written by Ambika Dutta was released on Thursday at the book fair venue. The meeting held on the occasion was attended by several dignitaries namely Mrinalini Devi, Dr. Dilip Kalita, Nilima Bora, Sashiprabha Das, Darpana Bora Neog and renowned singer Trishna Devi. The audience was enlightened about the importance of wedding ceremony and traditions in an Assamese society and the significance of written form of traditional oral folk cultures for the future generations.

Ambika Dutta, the author of the book explained her journey and attachment with "Assamese Loko sangaskriti" from her childhood. The function was graced by almost 100 audiences from different background. Lastly, Dr Sashanka Sekhar Dutta offered the vote of thanks for the ceremony.

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