Gomti Book Festival returns to Lucknow with literary sessions, cultural events from Sep 20

Lucknow, Sep 19 (PTI) The fourth edition of the Gomti Book Festival is set to begin from September 20 to 28 at the University of Lucknow, featuring an expanded line-up of literary sessions, cultural performances and children's activities.

Entry to the festival will be free from 11 am to 8 pm daily, its organisers said.

Organised by the National Book Trust, India (Ministry of Education, Government of India) in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the University of Lucknow, the festival will be inaugurated on September 20 by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The announcement was made at a press conference by University Vice Chancellor Prof. Manuka Khanna and NBT Director Yuvraj Malik.

Sharing details of the event, Prof. Khanna said, "... we are furthering the goals of 'Padhe Lucknow, Badhe Lucknow' and 'Padhe Vishwavidyalaya, Badhe Vishwavidyalaya'. Gomti Book Festival has inspired us to organise more literature and book promotion events in collaboration with NBT in the near future." Director of NBT-India, Yuvraj Malik, said the festival has shifted from its earlier venue at the Riverfront to the University of Lucknow owing to overwhelming public support.

"This fourth edition will host more literary sessions, cultural performances and children's activities than ever before. The 4th Gomti Book Festival is set to become the meeting point of art, culture and literature in Lucknow, and the National Book Trust, India, is working to make it the biggest book festival in the country, as envisioned by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath," he said.

The nine-day event will feature over 225 bookstalls displaying thousands of titles in Hindi, English, Urdu and several Indian languages. Visitors will also be able to access the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, India’s national digital library, offering over 3,000 free e-books across genres and languages, with up to 10 per cent discount available on NBT titles.

The Children's Pavilion will host 'Chitrotsav – Draw, Doodle, Discover' workshops, musical storytelling, puppet shows, origami, poster-making, Vedic maths and mindfulness activities. Literary sessions with authors and experts will be held in the afternoons, while post-5 pm cultural events will showcase folk singing, Kathak, Dastangoi, poetry recitations, mushaira, qawwali and storytelling, celebrating the literary and artistic heritage of Uttar Pradesh. PTI KIS HIG