By Shobaraj Yumlembam
IMPHAL, December 17: “Novels, general knowledge books and comics attract more buyers. So far Rs 5000 worth of books have been sold, however, compared to previous year, the sales has been much less” said Dipjoy Paul salesman of NE Books, Silchar who is participating the ongoing 21st Imphal Book Fair at Hafta Kangjeibung.
Speaking to this IFP reporter, he said communication is hard as the people here don’t speak much Hindi, and added, “However the people are very friendly and good to deal with”.
NE Books has been supplied books for MU and Central Library and this is their third time opening a stall at a book fair in Imphal.
Partners Manihar Ninghtoujam and Mandingbam Naba who have opened their stall ‘Leihou Nunghou Shanglen’ for the second time at the Imphal book fair, said there has been more customers this year.
They said, this year there has been several customers of books based on the ancient Puya.
The two also informed that they have been publishing their books in order to preserve the culture associated with rituals of God.
Chief Librarian of Central Library S Tampakleima said, the ongoing book fair has 57 book firms including 23 from New Delhi, 8 from Guwahati and two from Kolkata and 24 from Manipur.
There are 105 book stalls in total participating the fair selling various books like novels, graphic, history, biography, management etc.
The objective of the book fair is to reduce the inconveniences faced by people in buying their books from the market.
In the book fair they have the chance to interact with the different publishers and can order the book even if it is not available in the fair.
Proprietor of Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi, Mishra who has been taking part in all the book fairs held ever in Imphal said he had been planning to open a branch of his publishing house here in Manipur.
He has supplied books for MU, Central Library and associated with NGOs, scholars, intellectuals of the state and promoting them by pursuing them to write and publish it.
We have published more than 100 books in Manipur.
Akansha has published writings of Amar Yumnam, Gangmumei Kamei, H Dwijasekhar Sharma, M Mani Meitei, Makhonmani Mongsaba etc, he added.
Facebook users who had visited the ongoing book fair commented as “Certainly it’s a welcoming event; I guess there has been lapses in part of prior publicity. Really hope that it reach out to book loving people. Moreover it could have been much better if public are made known on the different stalls, publishers etc” said Rakez Lourembam.
“This year book fair is not satisfied for me and I also hope that other people are also not satisfied”, said Babina Thokchom and Benjin Okram said “It’s good to organise such fair, I guess there will be some improvement in the next fair, whether we are satisfied or not, the objective of the book fair is awesome”.