9-day Chinar Book Festival to begin in Srinagar on August 2

The second edition of the nine-day Chinar Book Festival will commence here on Saturday, featuring over 200 publishers and bookstalls from across the country.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will inaugurate the festival organised by the National Book Trust from August 2-10 at the SKICC overlooking the Dal Lake.

The organisers said that following the overwhelming response to its inaugural edition last year, this year’s edition promises an even more expansive celebration of literature in different languages.

There will be a wider selection of books, diverse events and participation of new literary voices at the fair, which seeks to further invigorate the reading culture across the region and provide a vibrant platform for dialogue, discovery and community engagement, they said.

Addressing a press conference here, the organisers said the nine-day festival will feature over 200 publishers and bookstalls from across India, showcasing titles in English, Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri, and other Indian languages.

From bilingual children’s books and academic works to regional literature and digital content, the fair promises a rich and inclusive selection for readers of all ages, they added.

“This year’s edition extends beyond a conventional book exhibition, positioning the festival as a platform for intellectual engagement, cultural dialogue, and educational enrichment, National Book Trust Director Yuvraj Malik said.

“A notable feature is the Rajtarangini Samvad, a dedicated series of workshops and panel discussions examining the historical, literary and cultural dimensions of the classical Kashmiri text.

“The festival will also feature a national exhibition on the ancient Sharda script and the first-ever Gojri translation workshop, which will produce bilingual books in Hindi, Urdu, Dogri, Kashmiri and English, promoting linguistic diversity and inclusion,” Malik said.

A major cultural highlight will be the Tamil-Kashmiri Samvad under the ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative, focusing on shared cultural and spiritual traditions between the two regions, he said.

The event will have three components every day with a children activities session in the morning, book releases, author and writer interactions in the afternoon, and artistic showcases in the evening where local artistes will perform, he said.

The entry to the fair is free for all and special discounts will be offered on the purchase of books, Malik added.

The director of National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, Shams Iqbal, said the festival is a historic initiative that will give a new dimension to the promotion of book culture in Jammu and Kashmir and foster harmony and connection among various Indian languages.

Prominent Urdu language publishers will attend the event, he added.