29th Sonarpur Book Fair

The 29th Sonarpur Book Fair ran from the evening of 7 December to the night of 16 December 2018. After Maldah in 2017, the theme was Dakshin Dinajpur.

Dakshin Dinajpur was created on 1 April 1992 by dividing the former West Dinajpur district. Its headquarters is Balurghat, and it has two sub-divisions, Balurghat and Gangarampur. It is mainly an agricultural district. Places to visit include Bangarh, the Four Pillars, the shrine of Ata Shah, Dhal Dighi, the tomb of Bakhtiyar Khilji, an ancient Shiva temple and the Rajibpur Catholic church.

At the fair

• A main complex with about a hundred bookstalls, the theme pavilion, the children’s pavilion and the little magazine pavilion
• Education park and science pavilion
• Government and corporate stalls
• Amusement park and food park
• A cultural stage for a thousand spectators, and an open-air stage

Programme

• Run for Books (12 km): 2 December, 6 am, from Champahati station
• Artist selection (audition): 2 December, 9 am, Samannay Bhaban
• Inauguration: 7 December, 3 pm
• Daily evening quiz: 7–16 December
• Sit-and-draw competition: 9 December, 1 pm
• Extempore speech: 9 December, 4.30 pm
• Dakshin Dinajpur Divas: 15 December, 5.30 pm
• General quiz: 16 December, 10 am; school quiz: 16 December, 2 pm
• “Sonarpurer Sonar Meye”: 16 December, 8 pm