Bangalore Book Festival is not all about books. Cultural programmes, exhibition of paintings and Kannada literary classics have added to the attraction to the 10-day festival, which began on Friday.
The exhibition will be a better place to spend the evening. Visitors can buy books, enjoy cultural programmes and also have their dinner before leaving for home.
300 stalls
As many as 300 stalls have been set up. Over 150 publishers are showcasing their works. The festival organising committee, in association with Kannada Development Authority, has set up an exhibition of Kannada literary classics.
The ISRO has set up a special exhibition on various programmes it has taken up.
Writer Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar inaugurated the festival. In his address, he took serious exception to the State government and alleged it did not help publishers in any way.
“Most of the people who run the government do not have the habit of reading. As a result they hardly think of any programme to promote sale of books”, he said.
He said the neighbouring Tamil Nadu government purchases 1,000 copies of books published in Tamil. Where as Karnataka government buys only 300 copies, he lamented. He called upon the organisers to hold similar exhibitions in all the district centres.
