By Zenovia Alethea Hujon
SHILLONG, Dec 18: Bookish Santa, which is hosting a Book Fair at MRBS Auditorium, Dhankheti, has opened a newfound love in the hearts of the people in Shillong. Founded by Rajesh Kumar Choudhary and Tarun Yadav in 2017 in Delhi, it aims to give pre-loved books a new home. The book fair, which began on December 16, opens at 10 am and closes at 9 pm.
It concludes on December 24, befitting its brand name well.
They import UK-edition books as well as collect publisher excess stocks to bring reading at hand for all. As the reach on the internet is limited, they decided to start hosting book fairs, a total of 10 currently, despite the overbearing shipping costs and time taken to deliver the books all the way from Delhi. Smiling from ear to ear, the organizer, Rajesh Choudhary, said, “We want to be economical and make books accessible to people. Reading creates connections between people, and through books we give them a sense of community.”
Technology has captivated the world, and our attention span has become limited to 15-seconds reels on Instagram. Although there is a set of people who enjoy their Kindles, many of them are starved of holding a book in hand, cover to cover, due to the soaring prices at bookstores. With the introduction of the “sell-by-kilo” technique by names like Bookish Santa, there is an opportunity for all to intertwine their fingers with uncoated pages.
The love for reading in Meghalaya has plummeted over the years; however, the youth are currently delving back into the habit. With the rise of book fairs such as Bookish Santa, the implementation of books as treasures is emerging just as strong as before. It garners about 500 customers a day, most of whom are students attracted by the chance to obtain five paperbacks for 300 rupees instead of 250 for one. They can also easily come back to exchange their books once they’re done.
Tiana Nongkhlaw, a 12-year-old visitor, spoke eloquently about her passion for reading and the need to reestablish the art of reading and writing in today’s world. “The reading state in Meghalaya is a bit sad, so book fairs like these open up opportunities for people to discover the joy of reading,” the 12-year-old said.
Bookish Santa is revered for its wide range of authors, prompting customers to stumble upon exciting new options. Sheryl Rynjah, who was on her second visit to the book fair, spoke about how Bookish Santa is an underrated gem which has a vast collection of books, for all ages. She expressed her delight over its inclusion of diverse authors, while also pointing their customers to a direction of Indian novels through publishers like Speaking Tiger. “Maybe by picking up a book from here, someone will take that extra step and post about it, and then more people will visit–Domino effect.”