(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners participated in the 49th International Kolkata Book Fair, held January 22 to February 3, 2026. The International Kolkata Book Fair is the world’s largest non-trade book fair and Asia’s largest book fair. This year, a record-breaking 3.5 million attendees came to the event, aided by the newly-established metro station close to the book fair’s location. The fair also hosts a wide variety of book-related cultural programs, such as literary discussions, book launches, and performances to celebrate Kolkata’s vibrant literary heritage.
Falun Dafa Booth at the Kolkata Book Fair
The Falun Dafa booth was one of 1,100 vendor booths at the fair. Because it was located near a high-traffic area many people stopped and watched the tutorial videos for the Falun Dafa exercises. Practitioners also taught the exercises and explained the history of the practice, including the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution.
Visitors learn the first Falun Dafa exercise
Dr. Bit, a Falun Dafa practitioner in Kolkata, said practitioners have participated in this important community event since 2015. The first year, they only had English language books at their booth. “People kept asking if we had Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun in the local language, Bengali,” he said. “So we had them during the Book Fair in 2016.” Practitioners sold more than 270 Falun Dafa books.
People browsed the Falun Dafa books and bought them
Falun Dafa’s Values Can Transform a Student’s Life
Many teachers and students visited the book fair on the second day. A school headmaster, Abhishek Roy, talked with practitioners and learned that after students did the Falun Dafa exercises their concentration improved, they excelled when they took exams, and they stopped skipping classes. Roy praised Falun Dafa’s principles.
“If students can understand Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and apply it in, it can change their lives,” he said. He also said that he wanted to his students to learn the exercises.
He bought Zhuan Falun and Falun Gong and said that he would read the books with his students. He also asked the practitioners to visit his school to teach the students the exercises.
Dhirendranath Mandi, a teacher from the suburb of Bongaon, also saw value in Falun Dafa’s teachings for his students. He bought Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun and registered for an online webinar to learn the exercises.
“In today’s world, where there is money attached to everything, you are doing selfless work for the students and you are so honest. It is truly remarkable,” Mandi said. He said he would encourage his students to attend the webinar as well.
Debamrit with his parents Kaushik and Konkona Das
Debamrit Das, a second grader, stood before the television, imitated the video and did the five exercises. His parents, Kaushik Das and Konkona, said that Debamrit was a child who sometimes saw things. They felt his interest in Falun Dafa was a positive sign, so they bought books and registered for the webinar to learn the exercises online.
Educated People Are Interested in Falun Dafa Books
Another group of people who were keen on learning more about Falun Dafa were scientists, engineers, and academics. Many of them said the philosophical aspects of Falun Dafa provided an opportunity to expand their knowledge.
“I don’t know what drew me to the Falun Dafa booth, but I am happy to learn about it,” said T. K. Nath, a 68-year-old chemist who researches quantum chemistry. Nath said he’s always been interested in practices that explore the mind and he was fascinated by information about other dimensions—things beyond human perception. When practitioners explained that the Falun Dafa books expands on these topics, he immediately purchased both Zhuan Falun and Falun Gong.
“There is something beyond science that influences our lives and we need to explore and understand it and respect it,” said Nath.
Dr. Vibhu Mukherjee is an economist and working at Benaras Hindu University. Although he said he was initially skeptical of a “spiritual practice that was taught for free,” he changed his mind after he had a lengthy conversation with a practitioner.
“What caught my attention was that Falun Dafa is based on Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance,” said Dr. Mukherjee. “The practitioner patiently countered my arguments and said if I use these universal principles as a yardstick in my life, my life will be on an even keel. When he said around 100 million people practice in over 100 countries I was convinced that Falun Dafa is genuine.”
Dr. Mukherjee learned the first exercise before he left.
A friend previously told instrument engineer Kaushik Dasgupta that Falun Dafa is a cultivation practice that shows people how to improve themselves. He was very happy to see the Falun Dafa booth and spoke to practitioners at length.
Through the conversation, he reached a new understanding of what “cultivation practice” really meant. “As an instrument engineer, I realized that similar to the work we do to regulate and monitor industrial processes, Falun Dafa as a cultivation practice is a process that helps us improve and better ourselves,” he said.
He bought the books Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun and registered for the webinar and free online classes.
Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance Can Resolve Life’s Challenges
Other attendees purchased the Falun Dafa books because they felt living by the teachings could help them deal with stress at work.
Prasun, a marketing executive in a pharmaceutical company, said he often felt stressed out on the job because he faced ethical questions that he didn’t know how to resolve. He bought copies of both books because he said he felt following Falun Dafa’s principles will help him “deal with my job calmly and with righteousness.” He also took the information for the Falun Dafa webinars so that he could continue learning the practice after the fair.
Tanvi Yasmim, a homemaker, came to the fair with her two children and said she does yoga and meditates. However, she still loses her temper with her children and in-laws. After she chatted with practitioners, she realized that living by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance would help her deal with her situation. She bought Falun Gong and Zhuan Falun and also registered for the webinar.
Over 100 Visitors Sign Up for Falun Dafa Webinars
One hundred and five people registered for the Falun Dafa webinars during the book fair. The first Sunday after the fair, around 70 people attended the webinar. Practitioners talk about their cultivation experiences during the webinar to help new learners.
After the session, many people from India and Bangladesh who attended the webinar thanked practitioners.
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