Kolkata book fair ends on a happy note with footfall touching 32 lakh

The 2026 Kolkata Book Fair, which ended on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, recorded the highest number of visitors and sales in 49 years; social media remained abuzz with passionate posts about this annual event, which is second only to Durga Puja in terms of popularity.

According to the Publishers and Booksellers Association, which organizes the book fair, the 13-day event, which ran from January 22 to February 3, attracted 32 lakh visitors and recorded total sales of ₹27 crore. Last year the number of visitors was around 27 thousand.

Tridib Chatterjee, general secretary of the Publishers and Booksellers Association, said: “An unprecedented influx of visitors happened due to two-way metro connectivity and six holidays (including weekends) marking the duration of the fair. Now, we are gearing up for the golden jubilee celebrations of the Kolkata International Book Fair with some unique events that will be remembered in the future.” Hindu.

Many regular visitors posted emotional photos on social media on the closing day, and many others shared images of themselves taking part in book launches and discussions and posing with authors.

“As a child, my parents used to take me to the book fair on the Maidan. In the eyes of a 3-5-foot-tall child, the world of books seemed big and unattainable. But now, as an adult, an avid reader and a small collector, my interests found new paths. This book fair was more organized, a place where even a small publishing house could leave a footprint. I met many young writers and poets, ordinary people like you and me,” he said. Mukherjee, who currently lives in Hyderabad, is currently visiting Kolkata.

“The interesting thing was that a large number of children went missing and were taken back to their parents by a number of police personnel. I guess this was one of those fairs where both the children and the parents got lost in the books and forgot about each other,” Ms. Mukherjee added.

According to Kanchan Mitra, who volunteers at the Yogoda Satsangha Society of India book stand, the increased number of visitors this year was not just a number but very visible. “Unlike previous years, when the afternoons were quieter, this time I felt the flow of visitors constantly from morning to late evening. There were almost no hours. In my opinion, a big reason for this was connectivity. The newly operational Green Line Metro seems to have made access much easier for people all over the city. The Metro was running at a higher frequency and for longer hours, which obviously helped accommodate the large crowds. Convenience makes a big difference, and this showed,” said Mr. Mitra.

“What really encouraged me was the presence of young visitors. At the YSS stand we saw many young people who were curious and genuinely interested in spiritual literature. Many were already familiar with classic works such as: Autobiography of a Yogi Written by Paramahansa Yogananda. Although the book fair in Kolkata is generally associated with Bengali readers, this year I observed a significant number of Hindi-speaking visitors as well. The fair had more Pan-Indian spirit than ever before. So what stood out this year was not just the scale, but also the energy, inclusivity and enthusiasm that continued throughout the day,” said Mr. Mitra.

This being Kolkata, even a hint of praise always comes with a pinch of criticism. Ayan Dutta, an engineer by qualification and a literary editor by profession, wished “Shubho Bijoya” to his friends on Facebook; It’s something Bengalis wish each other when Durga Puja ends. Its message was clear: that an event no less important than Durga Puja is over. But he also had complaints.

“Gates 1 and 2 were used mainly for food stalls – this shouldn’t be the case. They should also ban the use of microphones for singing, quizzes and other noise-making activities at the book fair. Loud noise doesn’t suit browsing. I was also disappointed with the Little Magazine stall this year – I didn’t find much new. But on the bright side, Dey’s Publishing has paid homage to older Bengali publications that were big names at the time. From Signet Press in the 1970s and 80s Like DK Gupta, there was once cleanliness everywhere, displaying pictures of their heads. Also, a book fair map was easily available,” said Mr. Dutta.