Agartala Book Fair
{{Short description|Annual book fair usually held in February in Agartala, Tripura, India}}
Agartala Book Fair (Bengali language: আগরতলা বইমেলা) is an annual book fair usually held in January, February or March in Agartala, Tripura, India.{{Cite web|title=Agartala book fair begins, bibliomania grips people|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/agartala-book-fair-begins-bibliomania-grips-people-117021100642_1.html|access-date=2021-02-12|website=Business Standard|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Agartala book fair from today|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/agartala-book-fair-from-today/cid/1445722|access-date=2021-02-12|website=www.telegraphindia.com}}{{Cite web|title=12 day long 38th Agartala book fair inaugurated|url=https://www.tripurachronicle.in/Tripura/12-day-long-38th-agartala-book-fair-inaugurated-19741.cms|access-date=2021-02-12|website=www.tripurachronicle.in|archive-date=2020-02-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228041150/http://tripurachronicle.in/Tripura/12-day-long-38th-agartala-book-fair-inaugurated-19741.cms|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=Agartala Book Fair begins|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/agartala-book-fair-begins/1744841|access-date=2021-02-12|website=www.outlookindia.com/}}
History
It was started on 30 March 1981.{{Cite web |last=ডেস্ক |first=এনএনভি |date=2016-08-08 |title=দেশ বিদেশের বই মেলা! |url=https://www.newsnviewsbd.com/%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE/ |access-date=2024-01-31 |website=Newsnviewsbd.Com |language=en-US}}Smaranika 37th Agartala Baimela 2019, Published by Information & Cultural Affairs Department, Government of Tripura, Agartala, 2019, Page - 148. (in Bengali){{Cite web|title=Prominent literary figures to assemble at Agartala Book Fair|url=https://nenow.in/north-east-news/tripura/prominent-literary-figures-to-assemble-at-agartala-book-fair.html|access-date=2021-02-12|website=NORTHEAST NOW|date=25 January 2020 |language=en-US}} It ran for 10 days.Agartala 40th Book Fair, 22 March 2022, 4th page, Dainik Sambad.
In 2017, Tripura Publishers' Guild Secretary Raghunath Sarkar says, "After New Delhi and Kolkata book fairs, Agartala book fair is the most popular book fair in India."
Silver jubilee (25-year mark) of it was celebrated in 2007 as it was not held in 1990 and 1993.
Until 2020 it was usually held at Umakanta Academy or Agartala Children's Park, after which the fair was moved to the Hapania International Fair Ground.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-26 |title=Agartala Book Fair venue change: CM Biplab Deb says 'reflects new mindset' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/tripura/agartala-book-fair-venue-change-cm-biplab-deb-says-reflects-new-mindset/ |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}
From the year 2022, this book fair is started in the month of March instead of February.{{Cite news |date=2022-02-19 |title=Agartala Book Fair to begin on March 25 |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agartala/agartala-book-fair-to-begin-on-march-25/articleshow/89675113.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-04-13 |issn=0971-8257}} The 43rd edition was held from 2 January to 14 January 2025.{{Cite web |last=Ghosh |first=Subrata |title=43rd Agartala Book Fair: CM urges next generation to embrace joy of reading books {{!}} Northeast Herald |url=https://www.neherald.com/tripura/43rd-agartala-book-fair-cm-urges-next-generation-to-embrace-joy-of-reading-books |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=43rd Agartala Book Fair: CM urges next generation to embrace joy of reading books {{!}} Northeast Herald |language=English}}
Events and participants
The fair lasts for ten days or more. Publishers and book sellers from Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangladesh, Guwahati, Delhi etc. participate in the fair by setting up stalls. The fair showcases a variety of books, cultural programs, exhibitions and gatherings of writers. Various discussions on different topics related to literature are also held during the fair.