Book traces vanishing ‘para’ culture in Kolkata
A unique book on the nostalgia embracing Kolkata titled Lattuparar Letti Kotha was launched at the ongoing 48th International Kolkata Book Fair (IKBF).
Ramakrishna Vivekananda Vedanta literature worth Rs 70 lakh have been sold at the recently-concluded Kolkata International Book Fair.
There were six stalls at the IKBF run by the Ramakrishna Mission and Sarada Math. These were Udbodhan, Advaita Ashram, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Gol Park, Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission, Sarisha Ramakrishna Mission and Sarada Math.
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Udbodhan, the Bengali publishing house of Belur Math sold books worth Rs 27 lakh at the recently-concluded International Kolkata Book Fair.
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In 2024, books worth Rs 22 lakh were sold by Udbodhan.
Swami Bhajanandaji, one of the vice-presidents of Ramakrishna Math and Mission had inaugurated two Bengali books published by the Udbodhan. They are Shibpuri Kashi and Madhupuri Brindaban.
The Udbodhan stall at the book fair was a replica of the house of Ma Sarada at Jairambati. It was designed to capture the rustic essence of rural Bengal. Udbodhan had organised an online quiz, elocution from poetry written by Swamiji. A set of linocut bookmarks depicting scenes from Kamarpukur, Jairambati and Belur Math was appreciated by the booklovers. This is for the first time when such a venture was taken by Udbodhan.
Udbodhan, the Bengali organ of Ramakrishna Mission was started by Swami Vivekananda in 1899. He had written the foreword of the first issue. Swami Trigunatitananda was the first editor of Udbodhan. Udbodhan has to its credit of uninterrupted publication 124 years ago.
There is a trend among the youngsters to read Ramakrishna Vivekananda Vedanta literature. They are picking up books on Swamiji and reading them analytically. This has been reflected by the number of books sold at the book fair.
The standard of Udbodhan has gone up with Swami Krishnanathanandaji as the editor. He is often designing the cover of the monthly Bengali magazine. Swamiji had dreamt of brining out a trilingual daily newspaper.
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