Delay in work on bookstalls irks vendors

The delay in setting up of book stalls on Maharaja's College Grounds, for the 83rd Akhila Bharatha Sahitya Sammelana, has irked the vendors, who arrived in the city on Thursday.

The authorities are setting up 470 stalls, but, the works on a majority of the stalls were not completed till the evening. Many vendors, including publishers, arrived in the city in the morning. A few vendors brought truck loads of books and they were irked as no stall was alloted for them. They were made to wait throughout the day.

The publications such as S S Patil, Sneha, and Sangam have brought three truck loads of books from Kalaburgi. But no stall was allotted for them till the evening. A C Battur, a vendor, said that they need at least a day to arrange the books in the stalls.

Venkatesh of Navabharat Publications from Bengaluru said, in Raichur, during the 82nd Akhila Bharatha Sahitya Sammelana, the stalls were opened in advance and the sales had commenced one day earlier to the inauguration of the event. "We had sufficient time for the arrangement of the books," he said.

However, the vendors are expecting good business during the three-day festival. A vendor said, the city has a good number of readers and we are expecting good business. But we are bothered about the arrangements, he added.

A member of the organising committee claimed that they had communicated the number of allotted stalls to the participants over the phone. But the stall keepers, who could not be reached, have not obtained the details of the allotted stalls. The stalls will be ready by evening, he said.

Advocates' support

The members of Mysuru Bar Association, as a mark of their support to the Sammelana, will take out a march from the Gandhi bust, in front of Mysuru Court Complex, up to the Maharaja's College Grounds, the main programme venue. As many as 500 advocates will participate in the march that commences at 10.15 am. Principal District and Sessions Judge P G M Patil will flag off the rally.

Royal rhythms

The students of Prasad School of Rhythms will perform a music concert at Dasara Exhibition Grounds on Friday. Ten children, using vessels and household items, will perform between 8 pm and 9.30 pm.

Play at Rangayana

The members of Rangayana will stage a play 'Ahalye', directed by Nataraj Honnavalli, at Bhoomigeetha in Rangayana, from 6.30 pm on Friday. Similarly, the troupe will stage 'Yudda Bantu' on Saturday. On Sunday, the members of Rangayana repertory theatre will stage play 'Shikari', directed by Prakash Belavadi, at the mini-theatre on Sunday.