As my alarm went off so did my morning groan, it wasn't raining and so I had to get my lazy ass out of the comfort of my bed and go to college. No more excuses. The 4 walls of my classrooms swallowing me, the sullen faces of my fellow students, the fake greetings, assignments, teachers pet and competition. How I loathe it! They promise you that college would be where your life begins, the place you can culture your creativity, the enthralling experience. Bullshit. College is nothing but high school with no restrictions. Anyways I can keep ranting about my displeasure with college life in general (and I speak from experience) but this isn't what my post is all about. So after sitting through and surviving all the classes, I proceeded to my destination The World Book Fair. And that is exactly what my post is all about.
After changing the metro on Rajeev Chowk I got down on the Pragati Maidan metro station full with anticipation of a fruitful evening and accompanied by a friend (who too loves books D-u-h!). After buying the ticket from the ticket counter ( Rs. 20 and if you show your Id card its 10 bucks) and walking a long walk I finally reached the first hall, which I had to get out from as soon as I entered . Why? Hindi Publishers, and I am ashamed to admit, that I stopped reading books in Hindi when I was 6 or maybe 7. So we started a long walk again, and we walked and walked and walked and reached another hall which had something to do with France (France being the guest of honor for this world fair) and some woman who I am pretty sure must be a known face was being interviewed and frankly I didn't care and so again the journey started to yet another hall and I was pretty sure I would be disappointed yet again, till now I haven't been able to find any stalls of my interest, but as I entered the next hall I was a bit ( Just a bit) pleased. This hall housed educational books, from science, maths, management to philosophy, arts, psychology, advertisements, it had all, but when I asked about the prices and the discounts it was a setback again. All the publishers offered a 10% discount, 10%. Are you fucking kidding me? And I moved past and ended up at the next hall (which I guess was hall no. 2) and this hall, they had my lot. All the books, all the authors that I want to read placed in a one big perfect heaven but (there is always a but) as I went from stall to stall and asked about the prices, I realized heaven was a costly place to live. All the publishers again offered simply a 10% discount. Why would I travel all the way from my place to Pragati Maidan, and in way get pushed and squished in the metro to buy the books at the fair which were just offered to me at a 10% off when I could easily get it at a 40 rupees auto ride away at Midland and that too at more than 10% discount? Just answer me why! Furious I just kept walking past all the stalls when I saw a glimmer of hope, a ray of light, Harper Collins. I entered the stall and ended up buying 2 books (at 20% off, I still think the discount was way too less). And then our shopping spree started. My friend bought 3 other books ( at 33% discount the highest discount we got) and we collectively bought other 3 (at 20% again). In total with 8 new books we left the place. (Not all from Harper Collins)
The collection of the books was amazing, and there were probably many more halls but I just went to 4 or 5 because I simply couldn't walk more and the vans and buses that are available to carry you from one place to another? I saw 3 and I mean it 3 buses in total. Further more the prices were too high and the discounts too low. Even though we ended up buying 8 books, I would have bought a lot more if offered more discounts.
All in all, it was a mixed experience. My recommendations to you all if you plan to go to the Book Fair would be, wear comfortable shoes and carry a knapsack rather than a handbag (my shoulder started hurting) eat before you come and get a lot of cash and be ready to get tired. But what's a gain without a pain? (even if its not much of a gain)
Au revoir my imaginary fanbase. Keep reading!
After changing the metro on Rajeev Chowk I got down on the Pragati Maidan metro station full with anticipation of a fruitful evening and accompanied by a friend (who too loves books D-u-h!). After buying the ticket from the ticket counter ( Rs. 20 and if you show your Id card its 10 bucks) and walking a long walk I finally reached the first hall, which I had to get out from as soon as I entered . Why? Hindi Publishers, and I am ashamed to admit, that I stopped reading books in Hindi when I was 6 or maybe 7. So we started a long walk again, and we walked and walked and walked and reached another hall which had something to do with France (France being the guest of honor for this world fair) and some woman who I am pretty sure must be a known face was being interviewed and frankly I didn't care and so again the journey started to yet another hall and I was pretty sure I would be disappointed yet again, till now I haven't been able to find any stalls of my interest, but as I entered the next hall I was a bit ( Just a bit) pleased. This hall housed educational books, from science, maths, management to philosophy, arts, psychology, advertisements, it had all, but when I asked about the prices and the discounts it was a setback again. All the publishers offered a 10% discount, 10%. Are you fucking kidding me? And I moved past and ended up at the next hall (which I guess was hall no. 2) and this hall, they had my lot. All the books, all the authors that I want to read placed in a one big perfect heaven but (there is always a but) as I went from stall to stall and asked about the prices, I realized heaven was a costly place to live. All the publishers again offered simply a 10% discount. Why would I travel all the way from my place to Pragati Maidan, and in way get pushed and squished in the metro to buy the books at the fair which were just offered to me at a 10% off when I could easily get it at a 40 rupees auto ride away at Midland and that too at more than 10% discount? Just answer me why! Furious I just kept walking past all the stalls when I saw a glimmer of hope, a ray of light, Harper Collins. I entered the stall and ended up buying 2 books (at 20% off, I still think the discount was way too less). And then our shopping spree started. My friend bought 3 other books ( at 33% discount the highest discount we got) and we collectively bought other 3 (at 20% again). In total with 8 new books we left the place. (Not all from Harper Collins)The collection of the books was amazing, and there were probably many more halls but I just went to 4 or 5 because I simply couldn't walk more and the vans and buses that are available to carry you from one place to another? I saw 3 and I mean it 3 buses in total. Further more the prices were too high and the discounts too low. Even though we ended up buying 8 books, I would have bought a lot more if offered more discounts.All in all, it was a mixed experience. My recommendations to you all if you plan to go to the Book Fair would be, wear comfortable shoes and carry a knapsack rather than a handbag (my shoulder started hurting) eat before you come and get a lot of cash and be ready to get tired. But what's a gain without a pain? (even if its not much of a gain)
Au revoir my imaginary fanbase. Keep reading!
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