'Pay per kg' fair offers books at a ridiculously low price.

Guwahati book fair brings 12 tonnes of diverse books at affordable prices. Join the readers club for a delightful literary experience!

on Jun 03, 2024

'Pay per kg' fair offers books at a ridiculously low price | Frontlist

Book lovers in Guwahati are in for a treat, as a group of Delhi-based booksellers led by Rajesh Kumar Choudhary, co-founder of the "Bookish Santa" organization, has sent approximately 12 tonnes of books from Delhi to the city.

The tiny book fair, held at the Silpukhuri Rajahuwa Namghor, features a diverse selection of genres, including nonfiction, children's literature, and classic novels, among others. The fair began on Friday and will continue until June 9.

The organisers of the second edition of the Guwahati book fair have featured books from small publishers in Assam, as well as Hindi and English language books accessible in the Daryaganj market.

The goal is to offer space for tiny state publishers. Prior to Guwahati, the group organized two successful book fairs in Meghalaya and is now looking for more towns in Assam to host the event and provide book lovers with a delightful reading experience at a reasonable cost.

The books are supplied from Indian wholesalers who import them in containers via ships, usually from the United Kingdom, while some are purchased in bulk from publishers in Delhi. New books are sold for just Rs 250-350 per kg, while used books are available at 25% to 50% off, much to the joy of book lovers.

Bookish Santa also intends to create a "readers club" for book lovers who attend the fair, allowing them to meet at various sites throughout the city on Sundays and discuss their reading experiences. Additionally, shoppers who share their purchases on WhatsApp after purchasing books will earn a 5% additional rebate, as part of the organizers' plan to reach out to more people based on their prior experience in Guwahati.

Aryaman Choudhury, a book fan who attended the fair last year, voiced his enthusiasm for the occasion, saying, "In other towns throughout the country, this type of show is conducted every week, but we had to wait for nearly a year. Nonetheless, this is an excellent opportunity for us to get books. However, I discovered that the number of books available this year is lower than the previous year. But for first-timers, this is going to be an incredible experience."