Chennai book fair and LEFTyeast

As it has for the past few years, the Chennai book fair has become an unfair leftover or left in the lurch, fermented fanatic festival sporting an aura of pseudo-intellectualism or farce fair for literary broth à la confusing any piece of paper for literacy and assuming speaking in English is intelligent. These popular misconceptions are difficult to erase from the mass hysteria of the population. 

One also will find exclusive stalls and statues for Marx (even his family may not care), EVE raw i..., and Che Guevara (check from Vera country) on one side and, on another, excessive abject bhakthi manuals when the public needs to be imparted philosophical thinking, rational perspective, and scientific mindset. In between loads of stalls for children/kids, excess of IIT JEE and NEET coaching manuals, obsessive math puzzle books, and of course the inevitable food stalls. 

Every day some talk shows are on themes totally irrelevant to any walk of life but meant to generate controversies. 

I am restraining with difficulty from unleashing unparliamentary language. What to do? we have not merely divided society on an ideological basis but also sabotaged the fabric of culture in toto

Books

 

Chennai Book Fair , as usual it was aplenty. 

 

There has been a disproportionate increase in the publications of both Right wing and Left wing vying with one another to influence and to impact the mind space of the gullible with their ideological rants and reasons.

 

However, to the discerning minds and to the diligent connaisseurs there were books ( besides those  which were on various subjects, text, classical literature) which prompt the perennial  seekers who are open to new and to nuanced observations,  philosophical ideas, interpretations and  a rational thoughts this too was not in short supply and at a macro level seem to  bring  in the necessary sense of balance. This was not a slim sandwich but was more of a multi-layered big burger ( fillings left to individual choices).

 

Surprisingly, the Government of India's publication too was bold and  transparent enough to publish ministry wise statistics and surveys with data. 

 

All said and done, this tradition of Chennai to unfailingly host big book fairs has its impact. 

 

The uber driver who drove me back said, with his eyes protruding and beaming with joy, that five years back he visited a book fair and read through some topics which he said opened his 'world beyond the whirlpool of  ideas, thoughts and topics discussed in his family, village, TV serials, films, church and bible and opened his eyes to the world outside and enabled him to acknowledge and to accept different ideas, ways of life'. 

 

I think this impact is welcome giant change. Long live this book fair.

 

Unfortunately, in India there are neither good quality magazines nor fairs for them like the one that takes place in Germany exclusively for magazines. In fact from India only two magazines get exhibited there ( based on quality of paper, articles etc). Both published by same publication and  had editors from 13 countries and incidentally, I was one among them in the early & late 90s ( THE STORY OF LIFE & ULTRASOUND). It was started by an allopathic cardiologist who later on shifted to holistic medical practices. I may have some old issues still somewhere.