Since I was a kid, I was fascinated by the world of books. It was exciting how small black letters transported me into different epochs, destinations and cultures in a matter of minutes. Coming from a business family we didn’t get much encouragement to read out-of-syllabus books, I wonder then where I got the love of books from? My school too had a modest library, nothing to write home about, but for me it was still good enough. I remember reading all the books I could possibly lay my hands on. I absolutely loved the English classics like Huckleburry Finn, Tom Sawyer, Tales of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, Rebecca etc in easy English. Those simple reading has given way to more complex ones now but equally enjoyable.

Ahmedabad, the city where I grew up in, though historically very important was not very culturally active. Hence, we never saw any book fairs coming to town. In my time, there was no Crossword or Landmark. Now come to think of it, books were really not that accessible during those days. So it’s no mean feat that children still read books in those days.

Today, there is no dearth of book shops round the corner; what’s more, you can even order books online. But do kids read books anymore? Wherever I go, I see them with their phones and tablets. It’s really sad! The onus is on the parents to teach their kids the importance of reading books. To tell them, that books can provide a big respite from the daily grind. When we are tired and sick of hearing about corruption, terrorism and atrocities on mankind; books are our SAVIOUR. They help us visit the magic-land where nothing bad can touch us; even if it is only temporarily.

Mumbai Book Fair is in town. Visit with your kids the kingdom of books which has 3 lac plus books. Treat them to a whole lot of events like Quiz show, Puppet and Ventriloquism shows, Story-telling  etc. This book fair is for all; kids and adults, young and old.

The Mumbai Book Fair is scheduled from 13th April to 21st April at the Hiranandani Gardens, Powai. Timings — 12pm to 10.30 pm during the days of the fair. For more details, check the Facebook page of Mumbai Book Fair —https://www.facebook.com/MumbaiBookFair.