To promote the cause of independent, small time and content rich publishers, West Bengal government is organising a little magazine fair and literary meet from Wednesday. The five-day fair is being held at Rabindra Sadan-Nandan complex, the literary fair will be attended by 550 poet-writer-essayists, West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu told a press meet here on Tuesday evening.
An estimated 350 small time magazine-periodical publishers from different parts of the state will introduce their works for the discerning readers, Basu, who is the Chairman of Bangla Academy, said. Over 100 writers and over 400 poets will take part in literary discourse on issues like films from books, the situation in little magazine world, and read out from popular stories by young-seasoned celebrated writers which were published in little magazines in various editions.
There will be 13 Memorial Awards instituted in the names of stalwarts which will include Shakti Chattopadhyay Smarak Samman, Somen Chanda Smarak Samman. There will also be Little Magazine Smarak Samman. A commemorative issue on the bicentennial year of poet Michael Madhusudhan Dutta, the creator of eponymous Meghnadbad Kavya will be launched in the little magazine fair and an exhibition on his life and works.
Little magazines are an unique integral part of the literary world In Bengal where small time independent publishers bring out editions having rich content. Eminent poets like Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay were all actively associated with little magazines.
Late thespian Soumitra Chatterjee had been associated with the little magazine 'Ekshan' which had the cover illustration done by maestro Satyajit Ray. Till date hundreds of little magazines are being brought out across the state introducing many talented poets and writers. Poet Srijato Bandyopadhyay is also a product of little magazine at the initial stage of his career before being noticed by a leading publication.
