Dilip Guha ★ New Delhi : Bengal Association, Delhi organized its 22nd edition of Bangla Boimela (Bengali BookFair) and Bharat Lokotsab from 20 to 23 March 2025 held at No. 5, Ashoka Road, opposite Andhra Bhawan.
Bengal Association, established in 1958 by the former Chief Minister of West Bengal Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, promotes socio-cultural activities pertaining to Bengal in Delhi NCR. Books are friends forever.
They are the stepping stones to knowledge and enlightenment. The Association strongly feels that book fairs should be held to bring readers closer to the publishers and vice versa. Nothing can compare to the joy of a reader taking up a book in their hands and flipping through it.
The association has been working tirelessly as the main organization for the promotion and dissemination of the Bengali language, literature, and culture in Delhi and the surrounding areas.
This year, the book fair is being organized on a much larger scale, featuring over fifty stalls for publishers. The event is being held in conjunction with Bharat Lokotsab, which will showcase cultural programs from various Indian states.
The book fair was officially inaugurated on 20 March 2025, in the esteemed presence of chief guest Shri Biplab Deb, Member of Parliament and former Chief Minister of Tripura, Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister; the renowned Bengali writer Shri Sukanta Gangopadhyay and along with other notable personalities.
In his address, the chief guest, Shri Biplab Deb, emphasized that despite the advancements of AI, Google, and the digital revolution, the joy of physically reading books remains unmatched. Books hold a unique significance—they engage our senses, stimulate our minds, and nurture our cultural heritage. Developing a reading habit not only fosters personal growth but also helps preserve the Sanskriti, and culture that defines us.
It is crucial to ensure that our Sanskriti and culture retain their essence amid rapid technological progress. Despite challenges, the rich and diverse heritage of Bengalis continues to thrive as a beacon of creativity and intellectual pursuit.
Books, our steadfast companions, play a vital role in sustaining and transmitting this legacy. They are essential for strengthening our connection to our mother tongue and regional languages. By revitalizing our literary traditions and placing renewed emphasis on literature in regional languages, we have the opportunity to reclaim cultural prominence. This resurgence represents a return to the golden era of Bengali culture—an era marked by the contributions of Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda when Bengal served as a significant source of inspiration in intellectual, spiritual, and artistic excellence. Their contributions enriched not only Bengal but also advanced global appreciation for culture and humanity.
By rediscovering and nurturing our cultural roots, we can aspire to reclaim this glorious legacy, standing tall with the dignity and brilliance that once defined our past. We also look forward to the ongoing success of initiatives like those of the Bengal Association, Delhi. By organizing events such as book fairs and various cultural activities, they provide invaluable platforms for promoting the essence of Bengali culture and literature. Such efforts are a testament to our enduring heritage and a crucial step toward reclaiming the glory of our past.
On the occasion, General Secretary of Bengal Association Delhi Shri Prodip Ganguly said “Keeping in view the growth and popularity of Delhi Boimela, we felt it necessary to hold it in a larger venue. More than 50 publishers are setting up their stalls. Hence the selection of 5 Ashoka Road, a prominent place near India Gate,”
“This year the main focus is on the young readers. They will speak about their favourite books and hobbies in a special session. Various programs have been designed to attract the youth,” he added.
He said “Bengal Association is not just restricted to Bengali culture. We are undoubtedly proud of our language and culture. At the same time, we are fortunate to be in Delhi which is a melting pot of many cultures and languages. We want our activities to encompass that spirit of togetherness.”
The book fair is expected to witness thousands of footfalls including avid readers and audiences, especially the youth. In addition to the display of books, at Bharat Lokotsab Soulful songs, dance, and musical recitals will be rendered by Delhi’s local talents and by renowned artists like Anannya Chakraborty and Saurabh Mani. Prof. Tapodheer Bhattacharya, eminent author and former Vice-Chancellor of Assam University will deliver a lecture on the relevance of Bengali as a Classical language of India. Well-known literary figures like Sukanta Gangopadhyay and Dr Shashi Tharoor will read from their books and interact with the readers.
The most added attraction is an exhibition held on the campus of the fair depicting posters since 1947, tickets for tram services in Kolkata and Delhi, and other such memorabilia are on display.
For this part of this program “Kolkata Kathokota ” is invited from Kolkata to showcase a Valuable collection of yesteryear. The collection of six collectors from Kolkata is on display.
Shri Chandranath Chattopadhyay, founder member of Kolkata Kathokota said “We aim to preserve the memory of that day and to make our heritage known to the next generation with honour.
“As a group, we have been active in exhibitions, discussions, and publications of magazines on history, heritage, art, literature, and culture for many years.”
“It gives us pleasure to inform you that at our annual exhibition, we feel blessed to honour eminent senior collectors with lifetime awards, similarly, we always encourage young collectors to showcase their collections in our annual exhibitions as well.”
The various old newspapers having historical significance, newspapers published on the date 15th August 1947, historical documents, letters, and ephemera from the time of independence, letters of famous personalities, and British royal family memoria displayed by collector Falguni Datta Roy. He has quite a few old and rare newspapers like the London Gazette of 1756, which gives an account of the so-called Black Hole incident of Calcutta.
Besides, there are interesting banknotes from the British era to the first printed banknotes of independent India from collector Anindya Kar who was Initially inspired by his Late Father’s bank note collections of the Indo-British era at the age of 21 years. Consolidated further with age on Worldwide paper currencies, Commemorative coins, and Postal stamps /Stationeries.
There are some advertisements related to Indian independence and also some brochures, and land leaflets which were distributed at that time. Autographs of famous personalities. Lots of periodicals related to the subject are on display. Chandranath, a preserver rather than a collector, is maintaining with all devotion the vast library of rare books and periodicals of his collector-father. He is the editor of the Bengali little magazine “Kinjal”
There are some materials on public transport, especially on Delhi Trams which were once the pride of our country, and also focus on Trams of Calcutta, transportation tickets, etc. are on display.
With a special focus on trams, Delhi began operation on 6 March 1908. At its zenith in 1921, there were 24 open cars on 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) of track. Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazaar, Katra Badiyan, Lal Kuan, Delhi, and Fatehpuri were linked with Sabzi Mandi, Sadar Bazar, Paharganj, Ajmeri Gate, Bara Hindu Rao, and Tis Hazari. The system closed in 1963 due to urban congestion. The rare tram tickets are showcased. Souvik Mukhopadhyay has a passion for Collecting transport-related documents, passenger tickets, etc. He has a formidable collection of ephemera on Calcutta Tramways, a company that was formed in London in 1888 initially.
He said “We, from Kolkata’s Kathokota group, have been tirelessly working to collect, preserve, and raise awareness on this matter. For this purpose, we have successfully organized numerous exhibitions on various topics, both within the country and abroad. In the same spirit, we have been invited to participate in this Delhi Book Fair. This time, we have come to share our message with the Bengalis and the general audience of Delhi.”
“The atmosphere and ambience of this book fair have truly impressed us. The exchange of ideas with so many erudite individuals has enriched me further. The magnificent, wonderful, and extraordinary setting reminds us of Kolkata’s famous book fair. It’s hard to believe, without witnessing it, that such a wholesome, tasteful, and captivating event can be organized abroad. I am extremely delighted and proud to be part of this book fair. From the bottom of my heart, I extend my heartfelt thanks to the fair authorities.”
Every book fair brings back so many fond memories one of the members of the association Shri Raja Chatterjee, Media and PR in charge recollects his past nostalgic moments.
“In 1998, for the first time, the Bengal Association independently organized the Bengali Book Fair in the capital city of Delhi. Under the proficient leadership of then-General Secretary Amresh Ganguly, the fair achieved remarkable success. Distinguished personalities like writer Sunil Gangopadhyay, actor Soumitra Chattopadhyay, filmmaker Mrinal Sen, and many others graced the occasion with their presence.
During this inaugural book fair, the renowned folk music group “Dohar” was brought to Delhi for the first time by the late Kalikaprasad. The members of Dohar were accommodated at Banerjee Lodge in the Anand Parbat area near Karol Bagh, Delhi. Around the same time, the late Sushmita Banerjee, who became an overnight sensation with her book Kabuliwala’s Bengali Wife, also attended. Truly, every book fair brings back so many fond memories.
After encountering several obstacles in the following years, we were unable to organize the book fair a few times. However, this time, we are preparing to host the 22nd Book Fair grandly.”
