And How I became A Wary Book Fair Lover & My 2025 Delhi Book Fair Picks
Though I had the privilege of visiting book fairs fairly early in life, thanks to a family of bookworms, I truly became a book fair aficionado only during college.
As a child, there were certain conditions to be met for exploring this utopian world of books. I had to have a grown-up guarding me from the steady onslaught of bibliophiles, lest I got lost.
My book buying choices had to be approved by the said adult ( often dad), and be governed by a strict time limit for discovery- unlike the ceaseless boundaries of modern discovery calls.
College was a different world though. Not only was I a grown up now, I was also living by myself in hostel. My book fair experiences also became representative of my sudden found independence.
I would wake up in the wee hours, buzzing with anticipation. The metro ride to the Book Fair ( Boi Mala) grounds would be equally exciting- my friends and I gushing over all the shortlisted books we’d come to possess in a mere few hours. We would stay immersed till the evening- sustained by nothing but copious cups of tea and plates of spicy chowmien and other street born delicacies.
The thrill of finding a hidden gem, flipping through its pages, and knowing it was now mine, was almost intoxicating.
Then came the metro ride back, a victory lap of sorts, where we would sit with our finds, poring over blurbs, feeling the weight of our choices.
Sometimes I read them to show off my refined taste, and sometimes I needed the reassurance that the Booker-shortlisted novels I’d splurged on would be exciting enough to hold my attention.
The joy didn’t end at the fair. Back at the hostel, my friends and I held a mini book fair of our own, where all the books were put on display. We judged each other’s picks, and made mental notes for next year’s haul.
Now I visit a book fair with a guarded demeanour, wary of the crowd and the omnipresent cameras mounted on fancy sticks. I have to be mindful of the number of books to carry before my back protests. It has to be a cab ride one way atleast, because the metro/ subway would be too much of a hassle.
Even then I am quite proud of my 2025 Delhi Book fair haul:
What do you think?
Fingers in symphony 