#BoiMela #KolkataBookFair #Boimela2020 #InternationalBookFair #KolkataInternationalBookFair
Tomorrow ( or today as it's past 12 ) is the last day of our beloved BoiMela , Kolkata International Book Fair.
Perhaps, this is the first time that I couldn't visit even being in Kolkata.From last wednesday , down with viral fever.And though the fever has subsided now , the wreakage of severe weakness along with cold makes it impossible for me to visit tomorrow.
Story books had always been a special person in my life.As if a close friend filing up the gap of loneliness.As a child ,I use to live in quite a humble govt.quarters .One thing which was visible almost every corner was books.My parents specially my mother had been a voracious reader.I still remember as early as in class 5, I had started reading Rabindranath & russian literature.
2 books which had a long lasting impact on my then fertile mind was - (1) ইস্পাত ( How the steel was tempered) by Nikolai Ostrovsky (2) মা ( The Mother ) by Maxim Gorky .
I still remember with a faint smile on my face that my dear mother was not quite pleased watching me reading the above books and felt I might get into politics which was least looked into from a middle class family.
Though I had read non-fictions but the real enjoyment I use to get then and now is in fiction.The exploration of human mind and the depth and absurdity of thoughts can be truly enjoyed in the best fiction writing.
What more can one want or seek if he or she is given a pletora of best fiction works - Ranging from Tagore , Camus , Naipaul , Amitava ghose, Murakami, Mo Yan , Tan Twan Eng , and more and more.
Almost like being on a vacation of the best of the best imaginations.
My relation to kolkata book fair goes long back to my childhood days when we weren't in kolkata.Probably my Uncle carrying a book for me and my greatest delight and curiosity to finish it off first.
Back to my BE College days wherein the BoiMela happen to be on the Maidan ground .
The smell of books , aha !
Back then the boimela hasn't turned into a gastronomic experience yet , it was more about books and the love of art.
And then 2012 happened !
To be honest ,I never dreamt to be a writer leave apart publishing my novel.In fact ,I started writing quite late during my Onsite days in London.
The plenty of idle time you generally have after office outside of boozing, shopping , visiting new places and doing things which you had never thought in your hometown , there's still a vast room of loneliness which I tried to fillup by writing giberish.
Like anything and everything.Life in Engg college , after college , Software Industry .
Etc , etc & etc.
Of Love, loathings & longings.
And somehow in due course of time , those writings slowly transformed into a book.
And whats more , it got published.
Times of India stall , hall 1 , stall no. 5 .
The very D-day when your book gets launched and what can be a better place than our Kolkata Book Fair , our Beloved BoiMela.
So we all went.It was kind of a family get together.Me being the most nervous sort.
Quite logically , in my entire life of utter mediocracy till then , this was ' The Moment '. Wherein you get at least a little bit transformed from NoOne to a better NoOne.
Whom someone might recognize.
People started coming in.The TOI guys managing the stall smiled and welcomed me warmly.I whimmed inside the stall like a nervous deer.
Amlan , my dear friend and my wife had already taken up the valiant act to introduce me to anyone and everyone whoever came to TOI stall.Generous people surrendered to their persuation and few even bought my book.
Next thing , the book signing session followed.
In all that excitement time flew devoiding Einstein's theory of relativity and it was almost the day was about to be over.
How can you leave the boimela without having the slightest gastronomic experience.
So fish Kabiraji and frys followed.
And so the love.
As I look back painfully of missing this year 's boimela , I will be deeply waiting for it the next year.
And the year next !
Tomorrow ( or today as it's past 12 ) is the last day of our beloved BoiMela , Kolkata International Book Fair.
Perhaps, this is the first time that I couldn't visit even being in Kolkata.From last wednesday , down with viral fever.And though the fever has subsided now , the wreakage of severe weakness along with cold makes it impossible for me to visit tomorrow.
Story books had always been a special person in my life.As if a close friend filing up the gap of loneliness.As a child ,I use to live in quite a humble govt.quarters .One thing which was visible almost every corner was books.My parents specially my mother had been a voracious reader.I still remember as early as in class 5, I had started reading Rabindranath & russian literature.
2 books which had a long lasting impact on my then fertile mind was - (1) ইস্পাত ( How the steel was tempered) by Nikolai Ostrovsky (2) মা ( The Mother ) by Maxim Gorky .
I still remember with a faint smile on my face that my dear mother was not quite pleased watching me reading the above books and felt I might get into politics which was least looked into from a middle class family.
Though I had read non-fictions but the real enjoyment I use to get then and now is in fiction.The exploration of human mind and the depth and absurdity of thoughts can be truly enjoyed in the best fiction writing.
What more can one want or seek if he or she is given a pletora of best fiction works - Ranging from Tagore , Camus , Naipaul , Amitava ghose, Murakami, Mo Yan , Tan Twan Eng , and more and more.
Almost like being on a vacation of the best of the best imaginations.
My relation to kolkata book fair goes long back to my childhood days when we weren't in kolkata.Probably my Uncle carrying a book for me and my greatest delight and curiosity to finish it off first.
Back to my BE College days wherein the BoiMela happen to be on the Maidan ground .
The smell of books , aha !
Back then the boimela hasn't turned into a gastronomic experience yet , it was more about books and the love of art.
And then 2012 happened !
To be honest ,I never dreamt to be a writer leave apart publishing my novel.In fact ,I started writing quite late during my Onsite days in London.
The plenty of idle time you generally have after office outside of boozing, shopping , visiting new places and doing things which you had never thought in your hometown , there's still a vast room of loneliness which I tried to fillup by writing giberish.
Like anything and everything.Life in Engg college , after college , Software Industry .
Etc , etc & etc.
Of Love, loathings & longings.
And somehow in due course of time , those writings slowly transformed into a book.
And whats more , it got published.
Times of India stall , hall 1 , stall no. 5 .
The very D-day when your book gets launched and what can be a better place than our Kolkata Book Fair , our Beloved BoiMela.
So we all went.It was kind of a family get together.Me being the most nervous sort.
Quite logically , in my entire life of utter mediocracy till then , this was ' The Moment '. Wherein you get at least a little bit transformed from NoOne to a better NoOne.
Whom someone might recognize.
People started coming in.The TOI guys managing the stall smiled and welcomed me warmly.I whimmed inside the stall like a nervous deer.
Amlan , my dear friend and my wife had already taken up the valiant act to introduce me to anyone and everyone whoever came to TOI stall.Generous people surrendered to their persuation and few even bought my book.
Next thing , the book signing session followed.
In all that excitement time flew devoiding Einstein's theory of relativity and it was almost the day was about to be over.
How can you leave the boimela without having the slightest gastronomic experience.
So fish Kabiraji and frys followed.
And so the love.
As I look back painfully of missing this year 's boimela , I will be deeply waiting for it the next year.
And the year next !
