The book fair organized by Sajha Publication kicked off from September 29 at the City Hall, Exhibition Road in Kathmandu. Books from the publication house are available at 30% discount and old issues of ‘Garima’, a monthly literature magazine from Sajha, are available at 80% discount until October 14.

The book fair, organized twice a year, attracts a crowd of more than 10,000 literature enthusiasts and book collectors a day. This rendition of Sajha Book Fair is exhibiting books of more than 10,000 writers and stalls of more than 70 private publishing houses like Ratna Publications, Bhrikuti Publication, Ekta Publication and Vidyarthi Publication.

Parallel events like book launch, poetry recitation, gazal events are also being held alongside the exhibition. Ganesh Bhandari’s ‘Bandi Aakash Birudda’, Krishna Pokhrel’s ‘Rebauwa’, Dr Sushma Acharya’s ‘Chandra Mama Kharayo’, Keshav Nepal’s ‘Laureyko Chitthi’, Dr Shiva Prasad Poudel’s ‘Nepali Ukhan Sangraha’, Kuber Sharma’s ‘Hami Sakchhau’, Madan Mani Dixit’s ‘Anandamaya Jiwan’, Dev Narayan Yadav’s ‘Saduri Grammar’ and Gobinda Giri Prerana’s ‘Chadkey Tilari’ were launched at the book fair while seven other books are scheduled to be launched over the period of next four days.

Corresponding discussion program titled ‘Kriti and Kritikar’ invites writers whose works have been published by Sajha Publication for interactive session in which the writers talk about their books and respond to the queries from the floor.

“Last year, we had book sales worth 6 million and this year we are hoping to cross 10 million. Our sales of until yesterday have already crossed Rs. 50, 00,000”, said coordinator of the fair and member of the board of directors for Sajha Publication Anil Poudel.

Lokendra Bahadur Chand attended the fair as the Chief Guest on Tuesday and talked about the books available at the exhibition and how it has boosted the reading culture.

President Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, UML’s President Jhalanath Khanal, Minister of Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Ek Nath Dhakal, and Politician Narayan Man Bijukchhe, also attended the program as Chief Guests.

20-year old Nabin Shahi from Khwopa Engineering College who was one of the visitors at the fair bought books on Yoga by Dr Yogi Vikashananda , collective biographies of international personalities and graphic designing courses. “I found about the fair through a friend of mine. Initially I hadn’t planned on what I was going to buy but now that I see all these books here, I have picked a few,” he said.

Similarly, 21-year old Sharmila Adhiakri from Jaya Multiple College was hoping to buy Shakespeare’s plays but ended up buying Arun Gupto’s Literature and Culture, Sanjeev Uprety’s ‘Siddhanta ka Kura’ and Amar Neupane’s ‘Seto Dharti’.

Maha jodi will be attending the fair as chief guests on Thursday. Sindhu Jalesha, a singer from Butwal will be performing at the program on October 12, a seminar on gazals in different national languages will be held at 3pm on October 13 and seven new books from Sajha Publication will be launched on the final day of the event.

source: republica,9 OCt 2012