22nd National Book Fair Draws Huge Crowd in Lucknow

Lucknow’s 22nd National Book Fair brings 120 stalls, global authors, Hindi poetry, souvenirs, and bargain books for readers of all ages.

on Sep 12, 2025

22nd National Book Fair Draws Huge Crowd in Lucknow

A large crowd navigates a huge maze of books at the 22nd National Book Fair, in progress at Balrampur Gardens. The fair boasts 120 stalls with 61 publishers from all over India offering thousands of books in different genres. From international bestsellers to debut writers, all visitors depart with books at bargain prices.

This year, fresh books by Arundhati Roy, Zadie Smith, Lily Brooks-Dalton, Eleanor Catton are among the favorites being selected by many at the fair. Like every year, Hindi poetry and ghazals and books are also in huge demand. "Mirza Ghalib, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sahir Ludhianvi and Jaun Elia famous poets are particularly in demand.". Hindi poetry enthusiasts are also taking up pieces of Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Mahadevi Verma, Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' and Dushyant Kumar," says bookseller Faiz Raja.

Rob, an American resident of Lucknow, who attended the book fair along with his family was seen purchasing books on Indian culture for his six kids. "It's great to see authors writing from an Indian context and coming up with stories that are strong in Indian content or that present the lives of Indian figures. I think they are thoughtful and fun for kids. I have picked up a few such books for my kids," he informed.

Another newfound interest among readers is one for black literature, say the book vendors. "Following the recent lifting of the ban on Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses in India, the novel has been selling in great numbers," says bookseller Shubham Nathani, adding, "Fans have also been requesting works by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, following his 80-page novel White Nights going viral on the net."

We have attempted to bring as many new titles and genres as possible to the readers, and we are happy to witness a good footfall this year, particularly of youngsters. We also have good numbers of parents accompanied by their children, which is a welcome step towards the habit of reading.
- Manoj Singh Chandel, Convener, Lucknow Book Fair

Handmade souvenir gives a splash of colour to the fair

Shashi Yadav's calligraphy corner has turned out to be an instant hit among the public. Amongst the vibrant canvases, Shahsi, having travelled from Ayodhya, is busy creating posters, bookmarks, and canvases personalized with song lines and poetry quotes. Shashi further adds, "We have visited the Lucknow Book Fair for the first time and are receiving a very good resposnce from people."
-Manas Mishra