If the January skies develop a checked hue, the reasons are not to far too seek. For the season’s most popular and much awaited event – Kolkata Book Fair at Milon Mela on the Eastern Bypass – would herald in Scotland as the theme country. And with that would come a bouquet of writers, authors, story-tellers, musicians, academics, government officials, literary festival organisers, museum officials and more. Above this, Kolkata as a possible City of Literature title contender would hover above everyone’s periphery.
Highly acclaimed and everyone’s top priority author Alexander McCall Smith would do readings and discussions at the Book Fair, Jadavpur University and even Calcutta University. Besides, he is slated to sign a few copies of his latest books at Starmark, the huge bookstore in South City Mall. Next in queue is the author of The Missing and A Night Out with Robert Burns, Andrew O’Hagan. He too is slated for a number of events at city landmarks. From the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Ruth Kirkpatrick is poised to regale children and young students tales from Scotland and possibly even a scroll-singing session with the Patuas of Midnapore. Poet Robyn Myrsak has already stirred up the poetry network and a series of events are scheduled for her as well.
One of the most sought-after and much-awaited events is the Burns Supper that would bring Scottish alumni from all over the country to a ceremonial sit-down evening programme and a dinner.
From the land of bagpipers, the winners of the Prime Time BBC One show 'When Will I Be Famous' with a blistering set Rock Bagpipes, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers are all set to rock the town at Tollygunge Club during one of the evenings. Already, their fans are screaming “Pipes, Drums, Rock Music - it's irresistible!"
Finally, the piece-de-resistance would be the Scotland pavilion at the Kolkata Book Fair that emerged from a fiercely-fought contest in Scotland where young architects pitted their brains against the Indian vignette. Clearly, what developed was a magnificent piece of architecture that would in it bring in huge crowds.
Alexander McCall Smith, one of the Scottish authors visiting the fair.
For details about dates and programmes, please contact
Sanjay Sarkar
+ 91 33 22825370
E-mail sanjay.sarkar@in.britishcouncil.org
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