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'We cannot afford to miss this 'International Book Fair' I told my wife and son while we planned to visit the BMICH premises, where the annual event takes place.

We were compelled to visit the place due to several reasons and factors. First and foremost is that we feel free to see hundreds of book stalls in one place, resulting the selection and viewing of books, the old and the new.

So, on our visit, the last Saturday, afternoon we found the place jampacked with book lovers, young and old, students, researchers, general readers, clergymen, men and women, from all walks of life. With the greatest difficulty I managed to park the car in a remote corner, and remembered a sign post in order to detect on the way back.

The access to the main centre of the book fair was impossible at the time of our arrival. For a moment I stood still, rather happily to ponder over this great big surprise. Are people so very much interested in books? In our day-to-day life we normally meet people buying bags full of other commodities such as food and clothing, but this is indeed an amazing variant.

It looks as if we have misunderstood our own people. For such a long time I was under the impression that ours is not a reading nation. I am wrong. I must admit it.

"What are we going to do now?," my wife asked.

"I was just thinking about the great big event."

A friend who passed-by told me:

"It's difficult to enter the main hall. But you may first visit the other one, over there. There are quite a number of leading national and international book stalls."

Then we were drawn towards that centre, which was also a circular building packed with people walking in from our side and walking out from another side.

The prices of books were seen reduced to twenty and thirty per cent from the original price.

"I was in search of a good Jataka book and some religious literary works," said an old pupil of mine in a happy mood.

"So did you manage to buy all that?" I asked her.

Then she showed me the number of books she had bought.

I found that they were rare books one should possess in a home library at any cost.

"All this I bought for my young son and daughter," she added.

"Are they fond of reading?"

"Yes indeed, and we encourage them."

"That's really good. But how do you encourage them to cultivate the reading habit?"

"Sir, we as parents should discuss what is embedded in great books. As you know I am a teacher."

"Yes. I know, so go on."

"First of all, I read these books. Then I tell my children the value of the contents in order to estimate them, then I request them to read and let me know what they themselves found."

"Oh that's a good method to cultivate the reading habit. But isn't television a hindrance to your children's reading habits?"

"No sir, we don't see too much of tele plays and other programmes to that extent. We plan our viewing. We are more on the print media than the visual media."

"That's good information."

Then several other friends, pupils and even a journalist joined us while passing by. The journalist friend, told me:

"I am simply surprised at this mass gathering. I think the book publishers and sellers are quite happy these days."

"Do they all represent here?"

"Yes certainly, almost all our local publishers are subscribers to this book fair."

Then there was an announcement from the media unit of the book fair to say that a pair of spectacles have been found and that they request the owner to come over to collect it.'

"I heard an announcement that a wallet of money had been found," said my journalist friend smilingly.

From that spot we walked up to a book stall of a reputed publisher known to me. The young lady, the daughter of the owner publisher, his wife and several others were seen quite busy, putting books into bags, handing them to buyers, collecting money, writing receipts etc. It looked as if they have had a time with their customers splendidly.

"It looks as if you all are having a nice time," I said when they were seen easing off for a short recess.

"No sir, it's a tough time we had." The wife of the publisher told me.

"But you ought to feel happy about our readers." I said.

"True enough, but quite a number of good books got lost."

"How did that happen?"

"Some good for nothing people steal good books."

"There is also the sea my side of matters. But is it so unbearable."

"Certainly. When once a thousand rupees worth of books are sold another thousand rupees worth of books are lost."

"Aren't there any measures in place that could prevent such kind of action?"

"I think the visitors also should possess a certain degree of dignity and morality."

"You are correct."

That was food for thought. Book Fair is just not a business event. Reading books give way to learning and learning culminates in gaining knowledge. Knowledge is the mother of all virtue; all vice proceeds from ignorance.

For a moment I was reminded of a certain Japanese saying which goes as follows: "Learning without wisdom is a load of books on an ass's back. So in this context one could insert 'reading, instead of learning'.

"Anyway this is a great event, and forgive the" "book stealers" I told the publisher's wife, entering the other book stall.

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