Patna: Books, unsent letters, films, street plays and the voices of thousands of young readers will come together at Gandhi Maidan when the 42nd Patna Book Fair opens from Dec 4 to 15. The book fair will feature 200 stalls and over 350 literary, cultural, educational and youth-focused programmes, with organisers placing special emphasis on young readers, aspiring writers and student participation this year.Organised by the Centre for Readership Development (CRD), the 12-day event will be dedicated to noted folk poet Satyanarayan, lyricist of the Bihar Song, said fair chairman and writer Ratneshwar on Monday.Young people will be at the heart of this year’s edition. The programme includes ‘Youth Podium’, where participants will discuss politics, literature, culture and national and international issues, and ‘Shabdankur’, a platform for emerging poets, storytellers and satirists. Another segment, ‘Chitthiyan’, will invite participants to read letters that shaped their lives, including unsent letters.More than 5,000 students from over 70 schools are expected to participate in ‘Hunar’, which will feature daily competitions in storytelling, mime, creative reuse of waste and other activities. ‘School Utsav’ will showcase student performances in music and dance.A dedicated cinema hall under ‘Cinema-Unema’ will screen feature films, documentaries and short films every day. Visitors will also get opportunities to interact with filmmakers and cinema experts.Other attractions include ‘Swasthya-Samvad’, connecting audiences with medical specialists, and ‘Coaching Master’ and ‘Gyan-Rozgar’, focusing on education and career opportunities.Literary events will include daily poetry and storytelling sessions under ‘Kavyakatha’, poets’ meets and ‘Jansamvad’ interactions with scholars and public figures. College students will stage street plays under ‘Nukkad Ke Rang’.An expanded art gallery will exhibit works by young, folk and senior artists, as well as Bihar’s Padma award winners. Visitors can also enjoy regional cuisines at ‘Swaad Vihar’, which will feature a dedicated food lounge.Major publishers expected to participate include Rajkamal, Vani, Prabhat Prakashan, Jnanpith, Hind Yugm, Sahitya Akademi and the Rekhta Foundation.
