Queues, Classics and New Voices: Biggies' Power Over Readers

🖊️Jayeeta Das 

At the IKBF'26, the longest queues still form before four familiar names: Ananda, Dey’s, Aajkaal and Patra Bharati. From readers who visited the fair during its Maidan days to students discovering authors for the first time, these stalls command attention through trust, memory and consistent production quality. Conversations with visitors show that these publishers function as reference points in the city’s reading culture.

For Ananda, the pull is emotional as much as literary. Readers speak of nostalgia and of books that have survived decades with intact bindings and clear typography. Fiction remains its strongest area, anchored by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Satyajit Ray, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Buddhadeb Guha, Nabanita Dev Sen and Suchitra Bhattacharya, along with newer writers such as Smaranjit Chakraborty, Rinata Raychoudhury and Moni Bhowmik. Many accept higher prices because of durable paper, careful printing and the “feeling” of holding an Ananda book.

However affordability has become a dividing line. Long-time buyers admit distancing themselves because Ananda now feels like a luxury brand. At the same time, readers argue that quality explains the cost; better covers, improved printing and production value that has evolved with time. Younger publishers and start-ups are now challenging this dominance by offering strong content at lower prices.

Dey’s occupies a different position. It is seen as the more accessible giant; carrying poetry, fiction and a wide range of authors. Names like Pratibha Basu, Anita Agnihotri, Sanjib Chattopadhyay, Prafulla Roy, Nabarun Bhattacharya and Buddhadeb Basu give it literary depth. Readers say Dey’s remains affordable while maintaining solid typography and binding, which keeps its queues steady beside costlier stalls.

Aajkaal has carved out a clear niche. Its focus on sports, music and political biographies draws a loyal crowd seeking researched, data-driven books. Authors and subjects ranging from Sandip Ray to Samrat Moulik shape its identity. Readers praise its distinctive editorial style and wide margins, calling it a blend of intellectual rigor and visual comfort.

Patra Bharati reflects the mood of younger readers. Known for thrillers, horror, historical fiction and comics. It attracts fans of Debarati Mukhopadhyay, Avik Sarkar, Sanjib Chattopadhyay, Avik Dutta and Debojyoti Bhattacharya, while also keeping classics by Manik Bandyopadhyay, Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and Shankha Ghosh in circulation. Graphics, clear print and student-friendly discounts make it a practical choice.

Across all four stalls, variety is the key. Readers insist new writers must be given space so that creative styles grow alongside old masters. Readers also say these books shaped their language, teaching vocabulary, expression and cultural identity from childhood, making publishers silent partners in education and lifelong reading habits for Bengal. Fiction and non-fiction coexist, from detective stories to Einstein biographies, from cult novels to political essays, serving both habit and curiosity.

Together, Ananda, Dey’s, Aajkaal and Patra Bharati explain why the 'biggies' remain central to the fair. They combine heritage with adaptation, star authors with new voices and price debates with proven quality. Their crowded stalls show that in Kolkata, choosing a book is still tied to the reputation of the house that prints it.