Book Sales up by 20 percent in Erode Book Festival

Book sales in the ongoing Erode Book Festival have increased by 20 percent this year, Erode Makkal Sintharai Peravai President Stalin Gunasekaran said.

Talking to newsmen here on Monday, he said  that every year the Peravai organizes the book festival and no entry fee is charged. The fair was inaugurated  in the Erode CN College on August 5th by CM through a video presentation. 

Actor Sivakumar, Tamilaruvi Manian, Sukisivam, actress Sukasini, former ISRO president Dr. Shivam,Salomon Papaiah, spoke at the evening literary meetings. James Vasanthan music performance was also held. The Tamil Nadu government has offered to host the Velunachiyar dance performance on I Day. 

As the fair has not been held for the last two years,  this year's book festival has attracted a large number of people, especially students from more than 300 educational institutions.

 They came from Namakkal and Erode district. The CEOs gave orders allowing the government schools to bring  students to the event. 

So,the government school teachers and students use private school vehicles and participated in the event Of 50 government school children, 30 children bought books and 10 children bought books worth more than Rs 250  and got the certificate of book lovers.

 18 years ago we started the fair with the slogans of --Erode District Arivu Kalangiyam, Erode Vasikkirathu, Veedu Thorum Noolagam. We got success in achieving the goals to some extent. Now lakhs of people visited the fair and literary meetings in the evenings. It indicated the improved reading habit of people. 

Tamilnadu government and district administration have helped a lot in this festival especially to hold today's Velu Nachiyar Natya Nadagam.  Two months back we wanted to conduct the play.  Then its  cost was Rs 10 lakhs. 

We tried a lot to find a donor for it. In the end, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu inaugurated this play two days ago at Kalaivanar Arangam. Then the Government Department of Culture decided to stage this play at four places in Tamil Nadu. 

Accordingly, the director Sri Ram Sharma confirmed that the play will be held today at the Erode Book Festival. 

This is the biggest contribution of the government to the fair. Just like Jhansi Rani, Velunachiyar is a great freedom of TN.  Kodumanal contributed to the civilization of Tamils to a great extent. So, a stall was kept in the fair. 

The highlight is the display of historical trade relations of Kodumanal with the Roman Empire, which has given the students an opportunity to learn about our ancient history. Tamil scholars of 10 nations also spoke in the literary meetings in the fair. Many rare books which are not available anywhere else were on display in more than 230 stalls.

 Many new books under new titles were printed and brought by the publishers. So, this exhibition has greatly helped the people who are thirsty for knowledge. Apart from that, it has increased the interest in reading among the people and we consider it as a most successful exhibition.