Tirupati turns into literary haven as visitors throng book festival

Tirupati: Come February, the pilgrim city of Tirupati transforms into a literary hub as thousands of visitors throng the Vinayaka Nagar quarters ground on Hare Rama Hare Krishna road to celebrate the annual Book Festival.

The 17th edition of the Tirupati Book Festival, organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), has drawn an impres-sive crowd of book lovers, with 66 stalls set up in the sprawling venue. The festival, which commenced on Feb-ruary 1, will continue for nine days, culminating on Febru-ary 9.

As visitors step into the exhibition, they are greeted by the welcoming stall of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, setting the tone for an immersive journey through the world of litera-ture. At the far end, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) stall stands as the final stop, offering a vast collec-tion of products and publications. The event has received an overwhelming response, reaffirming the timeless ap-peal of books. The sight of people from various walks of life browsing through the stalls underscores a deep and enduring love for reading.

Beyond books, the festival also serves as an educational haven for children. Science kits, experiments, projects, puzzles, telescopes and binoculars have captured the curi-osity of young minds. Magic stalls, featuring an assort-ment of fascinating tricks, have been drawing enthusiastic crowds, particularly children eager to explore the world of illusion. The presence of renowned publishers such as EMESCO, Visalandhra, Sahitya Academy, Vedic University and Ramakrishna Mission adds to the festival’s literary charm, with organisers diligently catering to the steady stream of visitors.

Since its inception in 2006 with just 25 stalls, the Tirupati Book Festival has grown significantly, now boasting nearly 70 stalls, with new publishers joining each year. However, organisers noted that some publishers could not partici-pate due to their commitments at the New Delhi World Book Fair, which coincides with the same dates.

The driving force behind this initiative, D N Satyanarayana Raju, Director and Treasurer of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, emphasised the importance of fostering reading habits, particularly among the youth. Despite incurring significant expenditure from BVB’s own resources, the organisers re-main committed to continuing the tradition and inspiring future generations to embrace reading.

Parents visiting the exhibition have voiced their belief that exposure to physical books will naturally encourage chil-dren to develop reading habits. One parent remarked that holding a book and flipping through its pages offers a unique connection that e-books cannot replicate.

The exhibition operates daily from 1 pm to 9 pm, with ex-tended hours from 12 noon on weekends. The highest footfall has been recorded after 6 pm, and with the con-cluding weekend coinciding with a Second Saturday and Sunday, organisers anticipate a significant surge in visi-tors.

In addition to book sales, the festival features literary and cultural programmes, where eminent scholars share their insights on a wide range of topics, further enriching the experience for attendees.