BARPETA, Jan 7 - Though it is a common allegation that social media like Facebook has done more harm than good, a group of people connected through Facebook has done an exemplary job here. The 2nd Barpeta Book Festival which commenced here on Saturday is the outcome of the positive initiative of the discussion in a group titled Aami Barpeita Facebook Forum formed in the popular social media Facebook.
Addressing the inaugural function on Saturday afternoon, veteran writer and editor of the monthly Gariyoshi and a former president of the Asam Sahitya Sabha, Dr Lakshminandan Bora said that the demand and popularity of books have increased in India. Dr Bora attributed the enhanced demand and popularity to improved printing technology available at all places and the book fairs. �Book fairs have played a pivotal role in popularising books,� Dr Bora said and added that electronic media cannot be a threat to printing of books.
Referring to the apprehensions about the future of books as expressed by some people, the erudite scholar mentioned that the readers across the globe are increasing day by day and the apprehension is totally baseless. He cited one example from the London Book Fare 2017 where as many as 25,000 publishers assembled.
Dr Bora insisted upon the need of originality in writing and lamented the scarcity of books compared to the increase in number of educated people in the society.
In his inaugural speech veteran writer, thinker and ex-president of Barpeta district Sahitya Sabha, Dr Akshyay Kumar Mishra said that knowledge derived from books and the good companions are the real taste of life which is otherwise covered with thorns. It is books and only books which open and widen the mind�s horizons which make life compatible for living in the true sense of the term.
Referring to the rich heritage of Barpeta, Mishra stated that right from the medieval ages of the Vaisnavite saints to the time of Ambikagiri, Prasannalal and Banikanta Kakati, Barpeta has had a rich tradition and reading and writing and there were several libraries in every nook and corner of the town. However, he lamented the rapid extinction of the reading habit and exhorted the people to adopt the habit of reading in the interest of their all-round development. He also requested the guardians to inculcate the habit among their wards.
Dr Mukunda Sarma, principal of Bhabanipur Anchalik College dealt at length about the necessity of reading books. Gunindra Nath Das, MLA Barpeta, Hrishikesh Goswami, media advisor to the chief minister and Thaneswar Malakar, Deputy Commissioner, Barpeta also spoke in the inaugural meeting, which was presided over by Amiya Kumar Das.
The festival organised for the second time began with the opening of the entrance gate by Gunindranath Das, MLA Barpeta. The festival flag was hoisted by Amiya Kumar Das, president of the Book Festival Management Committee followed by hoisting of the forum flag by Mridul Talukdar, president of the Forum. Tribute to the departed souls were paid by Priyaranjan Das, working president and Ranjan Jyoti Das, secretary of the organising committee respectively.