Nagpur Book Festival’s first edition, currently being held at Reshimbag Ground, has featured several stalls that bring in a diverse range of books, including children’s literature in regional languages, works on lesser-known languages, titles on Indian culture, sustainability-related material, and publishing platforms for first-time writers, among many more. Together, they expand the scope of what visitors can access at the festival, especially in areas that are not commonly available in regular bookshops. Ektara Publication, Eklavya Pitara, Karadi Tales, and Mulanche Masik are the books dedicated to the children. Ektara Publications and Eklavya Pitara have a wide collection primarily in Hindi, but with a few books in Marathi and English.

 

Their stories are simple and accessible, focused around everyday Indian life that young readers can easily relate to. Karadi Tales publishes in English but focuses on narratives rooted in Indian folklore, familiar domestic settings, and characters children recognise and relate with. Their picture books use Indian art traditions such as Warli, illustrated entirely by Indian artists. Mulanche Masik is nearly a hundred-year-old Marathi children’s magazine, considered the oldest in the country, and continues to be published every month. Dhammalipi Publication is dedicated to Dhammalipi, also called as Bramhi lipi, and languages such as Pali that are only recently being recognised as classical and culturally significant.

 

The stall includes research-based reference books and introductory material aimed at preserving these scripts. Such content is not easily available in mainstream bookstores, and the presence of these titles at the festival gives readers access to material they might not otherwise encounter. ‘Beej Publication’ has books on sustainable living, Indian knowledge system, holistic practices, and environmental awareness for both children and adults. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has also set up a stall with books on Indian history, heritage, and archaeology written for both adults and younger readers. Their focus is on ensuring that readers, irrespective of age, have a holistic understanding of Indian history and the various cultures it is home to. Jan Chetna, Hind Yugam, and Sanskriti Shiksha have books primarily in Hindi and Marathi with a few English titles, focusing on Indian cultural traditions, social themes, and literary works rooted in Indian languages.

 

They all mentioned that their aim is to foster a sense of love and belonging towards our culture, and to not let our long-practised traditions fade away with time. Lakhe Publications, a Nagpur-based publishing house, published exclusively in Marathi but have recently expanded to Hindi. They currently hold a catalogue of more than 600 Marathi titles, based on the Hindu culture, freedom fighters, and revolutionaries. Unbound Script supports first-time writers and new artists, aiming to create opportunities for debut authors to publish and reach readers. Their objective is to encourage new writers to continue producing work and develop their skills through consistent publishing exposure. These stalls collectively broaden the range of books available at the festival, especially in areas—regional languages, classical scripts, and debut writing—where access is otherwise limited.