Mangaluru: Bengaluru is set to witness a unique literary and cultural celebration as the Vidhana Soudha premises opens doors for a book, cultural, and food festival for the first time. Organised by the State Legislative Assembly Secretariat, the event will take place from February 27 to March 3.

Assembly Speaker U T Khader, speaking at a media interaction in Mangaluru, highlighted the significance of the initiative, emphasising that it aims to strengthen the connection between writers and the state’s legislative hub. The festival will feature over 150 stalls, with a strong focus on Kannada literature, comprising 80% of the books on display while the remaining 20% will include books in other languages.

Apart from book exhibitions, the event will serve as a platform for new book releases, allowing authors to present their works to a wider audience. Evenings will be reserved for cultural performances, adding an artistic dimension to the literary gathering. Visitors can attend the festival free of charge.

To further promote reading, legislators have been encouraged to allocate funds from their MLA grants, ranging from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh, to purchase books.

These books can then be distributed to schools and colleges in their respective constituencies, contributing to the spread of knowledge and literature Khader said.