SHILLONG, Oct 8: The 2nd edition of the Shillong Book Fair, organised by the National Book Trust under the Ministry of Education, has been marked by the introduction of a mobile bookstore and library, which has quickly become the event’s centerpiece.
Inaugurated on October 2 by Governor CH Vijayashankar, the “book van” has captivated bibliophiles throughout the state capital, extending its reach to surrounding areas.
With over 200 titles available, the mobile service has made books accessible to a wider audience, drawing enthusiastic crowds until Sunday.
As for the events within the fairgrounds, on the fourth day of the festival, young book lovers continued to take center stage.
The morning buzz began at the children’s corner, where an exhilarating musical storytelling session led by Vasudha Ahuja, accompanied by guitarist Kunal Shandilya, had the audience captivated.
Over 500 students from 14 schools gathered at the children’s corner, where they joined in the songs, setting an upbeat tone for the day.
One young attendee, Dailaigingkmen Lyngdoh, a Class IV student from Mawngap District Christian Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, expressed her excitement, saying, “I love listening to stories, and today’s session was so exciting. I even understood the Hindi songs!”
The children’s corner continued to buzz with creativity as Arni Sarkar, an alumnus of Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan, conducted a portrait-making workshop, teaching young participants the art of crafting portraits.
This hands-on activity added a visual flair to the day’s events.
Meanwhile, students were introduced to digital reading through an orientation session on Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, a digital library initiative featured prominently at the fair.
As the day drew to a close, visitors were treated to live music by the Pynter Orchestra Group and Kupar Shadap’s band, ending the evening on a high note.
Literary enthusiasts can also look forward to a discussion on “Basketry: Everyday Art of North-East India” in the coming days.
