Five Days, 2 Lakh Visitors, 51,000 Books Sold: 4th Gomti Book Festival Sets New Milestone

Literary Icon Shivmurti and Epic Tale of Mahabharata’s Karna Enrich Day 6 of Gomti Book Festival

Lucknow: The Gomti Book Festival 2025 witnessed an overwhelming response from the people of Lucknow in its opening week, with over 51,000 books sold in just the first five days and more than 2 lakh visitors thronging the University of Lucknow campus. The remarkable turnout highlights Lucknow’s enduring love for books and its growing place on India’s literary map. Apart from this, the book festival organised by National Book Trust (NBT), India, has established within the historic city of Lucknow, a vibrant hub of prominent writers and cultural performances, that caters to people of all ages.

In the Children’s Pavilion, Day 6 of the Gomti Book Festival 2025 began with a lively Storytelling with Puppets by Amrit Nagpal, followed by a calming Mindfulness Session with Jaishree Sethi, where children practiced mindful breathing and paper-based activities. In the Art & Craft Workshop, Namik Sherpa guided them in creating colourful paper swans before the fourth session, Into the Storyland, taught children the importance of stories.

Meet the Author: Shivmurti

The first session of the literary dialogue on the sixth day of the Gomti Book Festival featured a discussion with senior short-story writer and novelist Shivmurti about his creativity and experiences. Journalist and writer Arun Singh conducted the dialogue. The two discussed how vital and impactful quality is over quantity in literature, the veteran author also shared anecdotes from his life. The author also urged book lovers in Lucknow to come to Gomti Book Festival to get closer to the world of literature.

The second session was dedicated to exploring the diversity of literature for teenagers by well-known writers Akanksha Pare Kashiv and Sudhanshu Gupt, along with the editor of Uttar Pradesh Patrika, Kumkum Sharma. The session was moderated by NBT Assistant Editor Dr. Lalit Kishore Mandora and covered the need for engaging content for teenagers and the key considerations for selecting such writing.

The third session involved a dialogue with Dr. Sadhana Balwate, noted writer and Trustee of the National Book Trust (NBT) about her book, ‘Ahilya Rupen Sansthita,’ published by NBT. Akanksha Pare Kashiv had a conversation with the writer about her process for selecting diverse subjects, the language she uses, and her creative method. Expressing her profound faith and respect for the revered Lokmata Ahilyabai, the writer spoke extensively about the role of family, society and personal experiences in her creative work.

Karnagatha: Story of Mahabharata’s unsung hero

Karna Gatha, a stirring tale of valour, sacrifice and destiny, came alive on stage through a production by the prestigious Bharatendu Natya Akademi (BNA). Drawing inspiration from Shivaji Sawant’s ‘Mrityunjay,’ Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s ‘Rashmirathi’ and Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Karna-Kunti Samvad’, the play explores the life, struggles and moral dilemmas of Karna, one of the most compelling figures of the Mahabharata.

Through powerful performances and evocative dialogues, the production captured Karna’s inner conflict between loyalty, justice, fate and free will. The audience was visibly moved by the intensity of the narrative, which highlighted not only Karna’s heroism but also the timeless questions of identity, honour and destiny.

As the festival continues till 28 September, from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (free entry), offering workshops, author interactions, children’s activities and cultural performances, it promises to continue the journey of ideas, creativity, literature and culture in Lucknow.

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