Books, whether it be novels, biographies, memoirs etc are fast becoming extinct despite the efforts by publishers to draw the attention of readers to their products. In this era of cyberspace and on-line publications, it is quite difficult to organize book fairs and this has made publishing houses to try all kinds of marketing strategies. Conventional book fairs have given way to literary festivals where books take a back seat while social and personal issues are the unique selling propositions (USP).
One of the book fairs staged in Kerala has resorted to debates and discussions featuring "well known" writers and their readers discussing the importance of menstrual blood and its impact in society. What was they trying to driven home is a question that remained unanswered even after the conclusion of the session.
It is in this environment a the 26th edition of Kochi International Book Fair was held at Ernakulam. The vast maidan in front of Lord Shiva temple at Ernakulam played host to the KIBF which has become a regular feature in the cultural calendar of Kochi. More than 200 publishers drawn from all over India took part in the event which has become the pioneer earned the sobriquet Holy Grail of book fairs in the State.
"KIBF retains its top grading because what we offer the customers. We stick to the mission of promoting books and authors. Every year we honor selected authors ranging from veterans to GenNext," said E N Nandakumar , chairman, KIBF. Holding a book festival without any interruption for 26 years and that too without any sponsorship from the authorities or corporate world itself is a great challenge but Nandakumar has proved the cynics wrong.
"We limit the book fair to its stated objectives which are promoting books and authors and what the writers have to tell the readers. Authors from all States are invited to deliver speeches and they educate the readers about the trends in their languages," said Nandakumar.
What makes the KIBF unique is the pluralism which we come across the book stalls. There are publishers selling Ramayana, Maha Bharatha, Gita, Veda and Upansihads while there are evangelists who force us to opt for Holy Bible or Holy Quran. It is an interesting world," said Mankombu Gopalakrishnan, poet and script writer.
Nonagenarian Prof M K Sanoo, a known CPI-M fellow traveler could be seen rubbing shoulders with P K Ramachandran, a Sanghi as well as an environmentalist. The fair offered the visitors a kaleidoscopic experience of Kerala culture that featured great artists like Smitha Rajan (an internationally reputed Mohiniyattam performer), Sopana Sangeetham,(Kerala's own classical music form based on Jayadeva's Gita Govindam), a festival of writers including beginners as well as veterans discussing different aspects of the feeling of success, Chavittu Nadakam, a theatrical show brought to Kerala by the Portuguese traders and proselytizers which recounted stories from Bible in drama form. Dying art forms like Katha Prasangam got a rejuvenation in this edition of the book fair and the festival , in the words of former union minister veteran scribe M J Akbar, was a refreshing experience to the mind.
