The recent e-tailing boom in India has had little impact on the average Kolkatans' romance with College Street -the Mecca for the city's booklovers. This is what CT discovered when it walked the street on a rain-drenched afternoon and interacted with some of its most popular and old booksellers.
NATIONAL BOOKSTORE: Located opposite Presidency University, this store never has had a dearth of customers since it was established in the 1990s. Of course, this constant flow of customers can be attributed to its enviable collection of books covering almost all education needs of college and school students.Obviously, it is one of the first choices for students who come book-hunting on College Street."National Bookstore has always been my first choice. Their collection is truly enviable. I also look forward to sip some coffee at the adjoining coffee house after a good day of shopping," said Anandamoy Chatterjee, a third-year student of Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur.
SRI AUROBINDO PATHAMANDIR: This one is primarily a religious centre that also sells books. Established on August 15, 1941, this store has a rich religious and cultural heritage, since it not only sells books but also engages attends book fairs, participates in ancholik melas in Uttarpara and Siliguri and holds frequent lectures on Sri Aurobindo's religious philosophy. Maintained chiefly by followers and currently managed by the fourth generation of the founders, the bookstore has grown bigger and better. Dilip Kumar Chatterjee, who helms the business and is a member of the managing committee, said their centre was not motivated by profit but by the desire to increase awareness about Sri Aurobindo and his philosophy.The store also has editions of Savitri published in the 1950s.
DASGUPTA & CO. PVT LTD: This historic bookstore, established in 1886 by Girish Dasgupta in a modest structure on 9 Shyamachoron Street, is the oldest such establishment on College Street. The store subsequently shifted to its present location in the early 1900s and hasn't looked back since. Four generations later, it is still one of the most popular and successful bookstores on College Street. But this journey hasn't been without its share of turbulence. From sagging sales during the emergency to communal riots and violent protests against stocking of controversial books like DH Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover, the store has gone through it all. "An angry crowd barged into our store and beat up our staff because we were one of the few shops which had dared to keep the book in stock," said Aurobindo Dasgupta, the current owner of the bookstore, which is also one of the few that still boasts of the first editions of various rare publications.
BANI LIBRARY: Established in 1954 by Basudeb Dhar, Bani Library is another of the grand old bookstores on College Street. Currently managed by the fifth generation, the store has felt the impact of online and offline competition, leading to reduced sales, but still has an enviable collection of science and social science books.
CHUCKERVERTY AND CHATTERJEE: Established in 1910 by APC Ray, this bookstore has since transformed from a modest one-storied establishment to a two-storied showroom. And all this after surviving a fire that started at Albert College Hall and spread to the store. "Earlier, books were a necessity, but now, they are more of a luxury. Still, there's been an increase in sales despite competition from online stores. But the demand for Bengali books is on a decline," said Pinaki Majumdar of the bookstore, which boasts of rare editions like Modh ushudhon Majumdar's novels and Minutes by APC Ray.
Compiled by Akash Ghosh
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