'Ten days to look around the palace of books'

Palace Grounds will turn into a treasure trove for book lovers for ten days, beginning on November 12. BS Raghuram, programme director of the eighth Bangalore Book Festival, told DNA that the whole exercise is aimed at rejuvenating the culture of reading books. The event is jointly organised by the Bangalore Booksellers and Publishers Association and Klub Class.

Tell us why the festival is being organised.
In today’s technology ridden world, where everything is available at the click of a mouse, people have forgotten the value of books. Gadgets like iPods, play stations and the internet compete for attention. This festival aims to draw attention back to the printed word.

What are the highlights of this year’s book festival?
This is among the largest such book festivals in the country. To attract the crowds to the event, we have decided to invite celebrities from the film industry and the corporate world. We have more than 325 book stalls, and more than a million book titles will be on offer.

We have initiated inter-school and inter-college competitions for students. Books will be made easily available to those seeking reading material in English, Kannada and other languages. We expect to attract over two lakh people to the festival this year.

Are there any special themes or genres that this book festival will be highlighting?
There is no set theme. We have all kinds of genres, from fiction to fantasy, science to religion, politics to history. We have books from local publishers, and there are international publishing chains represented at the festival too. The stalls are also expecting bulk orders from various colleges and research institutes.

How is such a festival funded?
Typically, this is a no-profit venture. Basic funding support for the festival is provided by the government.

The Kannada Book Authority has also extended financial support to the fair. We also take sponsorship from readers. The annual book fair is expected to generate business of Rs15 crore.

Are there any things about the festival this year that you would like to highlight?
Book lovers in Bangalore can find their Mecca here. This will also be a shot in the arm for the book trade, as book lovers and sellers will all be brought under one roof. This year, the festival will be organised on a grander scale. It will set the trend for other states.