Epilogue to the Book Fair pilgrimage
 It
seemed a tiring, yet interesting pilgrimage. Walking the hard terrains
of BMICH looked actually tiring, when I saw my fellow pilgrims taking a
rest here and there on ubiquitous chairs and pavements.
The Book Fair is larger-than-life, when you see life more than books.
It had a story to tell about our country’s poverty. It awaited a book to
be written on our country’s ill-discipline. And, above all, it did not
fail to showcase the beauty of our people’s hearts.
 My
friend in a fellow media group broke disturbing news. That the BMICH,
basically the main entrance, was invaded by pickpockets. I felt like
listening to a story about stealing holy relics. Book Fair experience is
not going to be a pleasant one, I sensed. But slowly I realised I wasn’t
completely right. It was a nice experience, despite whatever setbacks.
When I saw people still litter the ground despite dustbins
everywhere, I was a little irritated. But it is part and parcel of my
culture, I knew, shortly. That ‘keep your city clean’ cannot be forced
just like they do it in religions. Either you have to be fined as in
Singapore or you have to be made aware of the consequences in an
effective way. I don’t think that’s completely impossible; remember
these are book lovers headed to the fair.
Or are they really book lovers? This fair did not provide space only
for books. I saw stationery as well as equipment stalls. Well, my father
has seen someone makes exit with only a small notebook. Are we that
bankrupt to seek discount for such a trivial thing. Still and all we are
a developing country, and better forgive that kind.
For Sinhala readers, I think the book fair was fair enough, but still
most of the Sinhala classics were missing in the shelves. Old ones
should leave shelves providing space for the new ones, eh! Speaking of
English books, most of the classics – apart from hackneyed everlasting
Shakespeare – were missing. I heard one say publishers do this on
purpose to create a market for the translations of English classics.
Maybe not all publishers; I saw some publishers sell the original as
well as the translation.
Many English books were subject related. Fiction did not have a good
variety. These things make me wonder if we really can call this an
International Book Fair. This is mainly because, I spotted only a very
few foreign looking book stalls let alone foreigners. English
dictionaries, on the other hand, were only on the English language.
The stalls didn’t have a computerized catalogue of the books. I had
to browse the books, and even with a fifth time at the fair, I could not
tick off a single title in my list. The 2008 Fair was much better for
some reason, I feel. Some of the stalls I bought books were not to be
seen this time. I covered the whole area, so I am sure they were not
installed.
But let me confess: exhibitors and their helpers were really helpful.
If one publisher did not have a book on offer they would direct you to
another. I witnessed this often.
Yet there was a book stall – I do not mention the name for the sake
of ethics and of course they do not deserve indirect publicity – which
sold books at an exorbitant rate. I found a small charming poetry book
by Vikram Seth. It was somewhere in the region of Indian Rs 100. But
here it was Rs 1400 and the discount was Rs 1300 something. My friend
who just came back from India said he would have bought me the book
there, only if I told him earlier. I have no idea why this huge gap in
between; shipping costs or what? I did not come across this unfair rate
elsewhere in the exhibition.
Food! I think prices are a little improved this time. Except for one
or two so-called posh hotels which would never listen to customer pleas,
most of the small-scale outlets had good food and drink at reasonable
rates. I still remember the scent and the taste of that tea I had many a
moment.
Maybe my observations don’t tally with the statistics, but I saw
crowds storming together for stationery, textbooks and translations more
than Buddhist and other serious categories.
I remember the organizers said the entrance tickets are channeled to
a charity fund. But security officers did not check the tickets
thoroughly.
They just requested people to buy tickets if they haven’t. They
didn’t seem to care if people have actually bought tickets or not. To me
this seemed more a friendly gesture.
Thank you, Book Publishers’ Association, for gearing up this overly
impressive annual experience; on behalf of all book lovers and
bibliophiles – though I am not either.
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