Pages, zines and independent creations come together at Kannadi Cupboard.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The second edition of Kannadi Cupboard’s annual self-published book fair, Padithavudan Kizhithuvidavum, is back. Kannadi Cupboard is an everyday gallery that brings together people with a desire to create. And the fair showcases self-publishing artists from across the country. This 2026 edition features more than 300 titles and 12 exhibitors.
“The format unites artists working with illustrations, photographs, written material and more. The intention is to have conversations on art books and zines that we otherwise do not get to see in mainstream book fairs in Chennai,” says Prasanna Venkatesh, co-founder, Kannadi Cupboard.**The second edition of Kannadi Cupboard’s annual self-published book fair, Padithavudan Kizhithuvidavum, is back. The fair brings together self-publishing artists from different corners of the country. Kannadi Cupboard is an everyday gallery that brings together people from different fields with a desire to create.
“The format of the fair brings together artists working with illustrations, photographs, written material and more. The intention of the event is to have conversations on art books and zines that we otherwise do not get to see in mainstream book fairs in Chennai,” says Prasanna Venkatesh, co-founder of Kannadi Cupboard.
This year, he and his co-founder are hosting a wider range of creators from Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other parts of
the country who work with photography, illustration, poetry, zines, written material and various other creative forms. “About 32
authors from across India have sent material. This edition is more niche than before. From Chennai, we will be showcasing Chennai Blast, an independent publishing house, and Red Eye Chapters, which curates titles from across the country. I have a table to myself which I will share with my sister and co-founder Keerthana Alageshan,” says Prasanna.
Self-published material is produced completely by individuals, as opposed to traditional publishing, which is done by publishing houses. In most cases, the material is written, photographed, illustrated and printed by the artist. “We periodically conduct zine fests, art book fairs, family cookbook potlucks, vinyl listening sessions and many other events. We wanted to look at a wide variety of material, with the overarching intention being self-published,” says Prasanna.
Talking about the display plan, Prasanna says that the setup for the book fair is designed on the floor, which helps everyone slow down and interact at leisure. According to him, though sales are at the forefront of these fairs, the conversations are even more special.
A glimpse of the books and zines on display at Kannadi Cupboard’s annual book fair.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The setup also brings the audience and the creator, along with their work, onto the same plane, making it more comfortable and accessible for everyone. The 2026 edition features more than 300 titles and 12 exhibitors.
@Kannadi Cupboard, Tambaram. September 18 (3pm to 8pm), 19 and 20 (11am to 8pm). For details, call 9566017770
Published – September 17, 2026 10:30 am IST
