“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet” – Jhumpa Lahiri

Travel is our passion. No wonder we do not let go of any opportunity for travel including a journey through Book Fairs. The New Delhi World Book Fair 2023 is on in full swing in Delhi.

Jago bookworms Jago!

New Delhi World Book Fair 2023

Fairs and festivals are indeed travelling to other worlds without moving away from the convenience of OUR city. We are glad to come back to the world of fairs and festivals. Book fairs are one of our much-loved events. We keep track so as not to miss out on this one. Two chief book fairs are held in Delhi. The one that happens in the first part of the year is the New Delhi World Book Fair.

The New Delhi World Book Fair is being held for over 50 years. It is organized by the National Book Trust (NBT) which is an autonomous body of the Government of India under the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the India Trade Promotion Organization that organises the much acclaimed India International Trade Fair every year. The book fair sees participation not only from publishers in India but also publishers around the globe. In fact, visitors from many parts of the globe visit the New Delhi World Book Fair.

World Book Fair venue

Pragati Maidan is one of the most popular event venues in Delhi and home to our favourite Trade Fair. The book fair is also being held at multiple halls of Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

World Book Fair timing and dates

Sundeep calls the World Book Fair the Kumbh Mela of books. If you want to take a dip in this Kumbh, you should visit between 25th February and 5th March 2023. The timings are from 10 am to 8 pm.

Entry ticket to World Book Fair

The entry ticket to the book fair is Rs 10 for children and Rs 20 for adults. The tickets can be purchased online from the Paytm Insider application.
The book fair offers free entry to school children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities and special needs.

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What to look out for at World Book Fair

New Genres of Books

Bookstagam – We spotted a shelf named Bookstagram to highlight books that are famous on Instagram. This was the first time for us.

Famous Book Stalls

In addition, do check out publishers like Harper Collins, Penguin, Oxford, Sahitya Academy, and NBT of course. They carry a vast sea of books on various topics – fiction and non-fiction; for adults and children in many languages.

Author’s Corner

A host of book launches and book reading sessions are organized at the book fair. Book discussions with famous authors are a daily activity. This gives us a rare opportunity to interact with our favourite writers up close.

Comics And More

For people without a strong literary bent of mind, the book fair has still many options. There are Indian and foreign comics, Manga from Japan, e-books, audiobooks, video games, and stationery. We have also come across crochet kits and art goods at the book fair.

Cultural Events at the Book Fair

There are many cultural programs held here at the amphitheater and makeshift stages. Dance, music, and plays are regular events in this period. Interesting street plays are performed by amateur groups in many pavilions.

The children’s pavilion has story-telling sessions, little skits, song and dance programs, and so on to entice budding readers.

Food at Book Fair 2023

Like any other fair, food is an integral part of the book fair too. After all, no activity is fun unless you are well-fed. This time we found that the food section was more organized in a food court kind of setup. Given the myriad options here from biryanis to sandwiches to vada pao, it was a tough selection. We felt comfort in familiarity and ordered our Sunday staple rajma chawal. The food was ok in quality, albeit slightly overpriced.

But the good part is that there is no restriction on carrying food inside the book fair. You can carry your own snacks, meals, and beverages and make a picnic out of it.

How to reach World Book Fair 2023 at Pragati Maidan

We are all for metro rail, an eco-friendly mode of travel. The nearest metro railway station is either Pragati Maidan or Supreme Court. If you driving, parking is at NDMS parking at gate #10 or Bhairon Mandir parking at some distance away and somewhat expensive. Another great option is to take a cab. But on the way back, getting a radio cab is difficult because of the high demand.

PRO-TIPS

• Pragati Maidan has shuttle services. But these are always packed. In any case, any event here involves walking so wear sturdy walking shoes.
• Carry bags or some means to store books. Many stalls discourage packets or provide only paper packets.

It is still cool in the mornings and evenings in Delhi so make the most of it. A visit to the book fair is a calming experience. The visitors here are mostly quieter than at many other fairs. Books are great company so we find many strolling alone. Kids meanwhile seem to have a field day! Looking at them we feel relieved. In the era of digital media, books, and the New Delhi World Book Fair is here to stay!