As the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair nears its end, the book enthusiasts and regular visitors of the fair try to make the most out of the last two days. The atmosphere at the Central Park grounds echoes a mix of emotions. The crowd reflects mixed emotions of excitement and mellow.

“The Metro services have made the commute to book fair for many more accessible. Visitors coming from remote areas especially, have been benefited by this service,” said Srijit Bhattacharya, a guild member. “The footfall has therefore been much higher than last year’s,” he added.

Book sales have also gone up compared to last year’s but haven’t jumped dramatically, said Mr Bhattacharya.

The visitors corroborated Mr Bhattacharya’s comments. Samrita, a book enthusiast, from North 24-Parganas said that the Metro services have made their commute experience much smoother. “We have just arrived here and already made two purchases, we are looking forward to making more, we are exploring the international stalls as well,” Samrita’s friend added.

The Boi mela (book fair) of Kolkata is an emotion for many. While today one can buy books during any time of the year via online stores or offline bookstores, many book enthusiasts wait for this time of the year to unleash the bookworm in them.

“Book fair has become a tradition, it’s an event that most of us look forward to every year,” said Soham Guha, an engineer at an IT company. “I have been a detective story lover since childhood, but now I come to book fair to explore my reading interests,” Guha added.

“This is my second visit this year, I came here last Sunday as well. I have purchased 15 books this year,” said Mridula Sarkar, a teacher. “My hometown is Bongaon, and commuting the distance drains out all the energy, but the love for books and the emotional connection with book fair gives me the energy to keep coming back here,” Sarkar said.

Along with books, the book fair provides a platform to emerging publishers. “Many small publishers, including regional language publishers have been coming to the forefront,” said a state government employee of West Bengal State Archives who is visiting the fair on duty.