K. L. Mohana Varma a well known and popular novelist, short story writer and columnist in Malayalam talks about the importance of organizing book festivals to create reading awareness among people . The excerpts of his chat with Anna Priyanka.

Being a writer what do you think about the book festival ?
The festival is same as before but the audience are not. They keep changing every now and then. This year is the 20th year of book festival and we expected more participants. I am not only a writer here, but also an organizer.So, I know how hard it is to organize a big event like this .But I am very happy to be part of this. My works are also exhibited here.

Do you think reading and readers are being reduced in today’s world?
Nowadays, art is being promoted so well but not reading .In the case of poems it is more worse. When I recently travelled to a north Indian state. I saw students carrying heavy literature books . But those were not for reading but to show that they are genius. Books are the greatest friend of man. This is the message that we are trying to promote here at the book festival. The knowledge that books give are immeasurable .
As a writer , what is the most challenging part of a work?
The one and only challenge as a writer is to convince the audience or readers. Once the work is finished and is published, it is in the hands of the audience. They interpret what I have written and what I have not. The reader is important rather than an author.
Can you tell me about the idea of a selfie stall and its purpose?
Selfie stall is the idea of selling books by the author, with their signature . It gives a good opportunity to the new authors to introduce their works and to sell them.
what are your plans for the next book festival?
I want to work more with the organization and also wanted to write another story too.


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