Festivity and Folklore: Colorful Procession Marks the Grand Opening of South Dinajpur’s 30th Book Fair

January 08, 2026 

A Literary Awakening

Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Gangarampur

With a burst of color, music and youthful energy, South Dinajpur’s 30th District Book Fair opened on Thursday afternoon, transforming the streets of Gangarampur into a moving celebration of books, culture and civic pride.

Rally 

The fair began with a vibrant procession shortly after 3 p.m., winding its way from the New Market through High School Para, Dutta Para and Choupathy, before concluding at the Gangarampur Football Ground. Students from local schools and colleges marched alongside elaborate tableaux highlighting books, education and cultural heritage, turning the town into a living pageant.

Among those leading the procession were Prashanta Mitra, chairman of the Gangarampur Municipality; Ambarish Sarkar, Saha- sabhadhipati of the South Dinajpur Zilla Parishad; Debabrata Kumar Das, district librarian; Dr. Dipak Kumar Jana, principal of Gangarampur College; and Sukumar Sarkar, the Banga Ratna award-winning writer.

At the fairgrounds, Mr. Mitra formally inaugurated the venue by cutting the ribbon. The ceremonial launch continued with the release of blue-and-white balloons, the flight of pigeons symbolizing peace, and the lighting of lamps by the state’s Minister for Consumer Affairs, Biplab Mitra. Several prominent figures, including Professor Om Prakash Mishra and writer Prolay Mitra, were also present on stage.

As bookstalls from across the state opened their shutters, readers and book lovers streamed in, signaling a strong start to the literary gathering.“Our district hosts a book fair every year, but this time Gangarampur has embraced it as a true festival,” Mr. Mitra said. “For residents and especially for students, this fair has become a shared celebration of learning and ideas. Publishers from different parts of the state have brought a wide range of books here.”

 

By early evening, the fairgrounds were buzzing — not just with commerce, but with conversation — as Gangarampur reaffirmed its place on the cultural map, one book at a time.