A critical look at Imphal Book Fair : Not good
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 05 2010: With conspicuous absence of an atmosphere that is expected of a book fair and the slipshod management of the event, the ongoing 18th Imphal Book Fair, 2009 at Hafta Kangjeibung here has turned out to be not the right destination for bibliophiles, unless one is looking for the flooded text books and other study materials of competitive examinations, which unfortunately again is not selling like hot cakes with closure of educational institutions in the State for the last many, many days.

Over the years, Imphal Book Fair has not been able to attract the kind of attention that it should from the reading public and the publishers alike, and it is no exception this time.

Noted dancer Thiyam Surjamukhi at a writers' meet

In fact, apart from the absence of upto date publications which could have drawn the attention of book lovers, the ongoing book fair which is all set to wrap up tomorrow, seems to have hit the nadir in terms of the turnout of visitors as well as the participation of the book firms.

Why is this happening so ? .

According to Prof N Tombi, president of Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, the Imphal Book Fair does not have the atmosphere of a book fair and the basic elements that goes into the making of a successful book fair as seen in other parts of the country.

''What is there to attract the visitors as they enter the fair ground here?'', he questioned and added, ''Nothing ''.

Prof Tombi explained that a book fair does not mean just selling books to the visitors.

There should be proper amenities for the visitors coming with families.

It should also be an opportunity for the writers and the publishers to meet and interact for book trading.

There are many outside publishers who are interested in Manipuri writers and writings on subjects like arts and culture, history, dance, etc.

Considering this fact, the organisers should invite such publishers and bring out a list of the writers and the books published in a year.

Noted writer and winner of first ever Manipur State Award for Literature, 2008 BM Maisnamba shared the same sentiments and went on to suggest that the State Government should provide concession on the stall fee and ensure proper facilities to attract participation of more publishing houses of repute.

As against the participation of 16 book firms from outside the State including Delhi, Kolkata, Vishakhapatnam and Guwahati and 21 local book firms in the last edition of the book fair, this time only 10 book firms from outside and 23 local firms are opening stalls in the fair, as per the information provided by the organising committee.

However, even a casual visitor can easily confirmed that out of these so-called 10 outside book firms, the organiser has counted Oxford University Press, Guwahati and Cambridge University, Guwahati, whose publications are being distributed and sold in its own stall by the local firm RK Book House as separate entities to give the impression of a happening book fair.

The same is true about Sahitya Akademi, Kolkata whose books are being sold in the stall of Manipur Sahitya but counted as a separate stall.

Though the organiser makes great effort to explain the failure of many publishing houses to come and participate in the book fair due to delay in organising the event by a good 13 days behind the scheduled annual calendar as the ground was being occupied in connection with Tourism Festival, many of the publishing houses swore by the unsuitability of the location of the venue site, which they felt is far away from the main hub of the city.

Not impressed with the turnout of the visitors and the sale recorded for the second consecutive years, representatives of the Akansha Publishing House, one of the only two Delhi based publishing houses participating in the book fair, said that they may reconsider participation in Imphal Book Fair next time.

''In the past when the fair was held at Polo Ground, out sale proceed even crossed Rs 5 lakhs.

But this time, it is almost nil'', they disclosed.

To the stall fee of Rs 3000 being charged from each of the participating book firms, they pointed out that the amount taken from them should commensurate with the facilities being provided.

PS Rao, representative of Excel Books, the other Delhi-based book firm which is dealing only in books related to management and participating in the book fair for the first time, feared that he would not be able to recover the travelling expenses and kept his fingers crossed over the miracle of bulk buying from some institutions to bail him out from the situation.

Yengkhom Opendro, proprietor of Kamakhya Books, Guwahati also felt that the book fair should be held at some easily accessible place like Pologround.

''Even if one person out of every 100 visiting the fair buys a book, the sale would be good.

But this not happening'', he lamented.

Local publishing houses and book stores including the normally popular Rajesh Books (Governor Road ), Jagat Mata Books (Pologround), Leima Book Store, Jireh Book Point, Universal Book Centre, etc also echoed that the public response and the sale proceed was not satisfactory this time.

RK Joykumar, proprietor of Universal Book Centre said that sale of text books and other study materials have been very low because of the class boycott.

The ground is also so dusty that we are providing masks to the visitors, he added.

On top of the 10 percent discount given on every book purchased from any stall, some were seen luring the visitors with offer of upto 60 percent discount.

However, there appears to be no taker.