Mumbai

Independent Bookstores in Mumbai

Given all the loud voices and rhetorical shouting that goes on in India these days, be it in Parliament, on Whatsapp and even worse, on TV news channels, there are hardly any spaces left that allow one to be heard calmly and even fewer that allow one to have a chance to be well informed about topical matters. 

Independent bookstores in the city are some of the few places that can provide people with such spaces. They are akin to the heroes that we need today. They symbolize a piece of hope against the burgeoning franchise economies in any sphere whether it is bookstores or restaurants. These stores go against this one grave fallout of globalisation that haunts each country. 

Mumbai has always been home to several independent bookstores such as the Strand Book Stall (which unfortunately had to shut down), Sterling Book House (which is any student’s savior when it comes to textbooks), the erstwhile Granth Bookstore and Horizon Book Shop in the suburbs. 

Each of these older bookstores has had to contend with the growth of retail bookstore chains most prominently, Crossword and even Landmark to some extent. A few have not survived the ordeal. Most of the bookstores that were my childhood haunts have disappeared. Who wouldn’t miss the enviable Strand Book Stall’s brilliant sales? 

However, independent bookstores in this decade have slowly and surely made a steady comeback, making waves and establishing a place in the city’s literary heart. 

The Seer presents the top 5 independent bookstores in Mumbai:

 

The Trilogy Library and Bookstore

The Trilogy Bookstore
The Trilogy Bookstore

Though it is located in one of the best known localities in Mumbai – close to Jogger’s Park in Bandra, you would easily miss the board of Trilogy Bookstore if you were not looking closely. Tucked away in a lane that also houses a caterer, this two storied bookshop is a paradise. They have an eclectic collection of books on the ground floor from a well curated children’s section to a brilliant section just for poetry. One highlight is the separate sections devoted to indie publishers and also feminist writing. If the high price of the books deters you, they also run a library upstairs which also boasts of an extensive collection from bestsellers to niche titles. Trilogy also hosts several events on its cosy premises such as the dramatic reading of the Paper Moon by Rehana Munir. You can enjoy these events over some cookies while also savouring the wafting smell of books intermingling with a biryani that is slow cooking outside. Look up the details about their library membership here.

 

Kitab Khana

Kitaab Khana
Kitaab Khana

The moment you step into this bookshop that is hidden behind several street vendors you know you have entered a haven. The shelves are choc a bloc with a variety of books. Cute little post-its with staff recommendations scribbled on them adorn the shelves. A café is another plus of the store. The bookshop’s old world charm encourages one to just plomp down on its many cosily placed seats and chairs and read through the books (they do allow customers to sit and read on for hours or until the store closes). The books here are also not limited to only English authors. They have a large collection of Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati novels, short stories and poetry. Two unique things about Kitab Khana are that it houses myriad religious and spiritual texts and poetry selections from several indie publications in India. The staff is also quite helpful and prompt in assisting you to get the book you desire!


Title Waves

Titlewaves Bookstore
Title Waves Bookstore

Title Waves has been making waves ever since it was launched thanks to its marketing and also the many engaging events and book launches it is always part of. Title Waves was also one of the partner bookstores and venues for TATA Literature Live Festival in 2019. A selection of handpicked novels greets one as you enter the store. But venture further to find other great sections of books particularly its graphic novels and manga section which is one of the best in the city. They have Indian graphic novels sitting side by side the most popular Japanese manga. If browsing through books and sipping on coffee is your poison, then a visit to Title Waves is a must.

 


Wayword and Wise

Wayword & Wise
Wayword & Wise

Wayword and Wise believes in doing things differently. Very differently. The books it houses inside its front columned facade store are not easily available in the city. The titles are very vast, varied, and niche. They have authors from Yuko Tawada (The Memory Police) to Hisham Matar, from Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar to Hiromi Kawakami. Their sections are also equally varied ranging from literary essays and criticism (no independent bookstore in the city possibly has this as a separate section!) to poetry, science fiction, and graphic novels. Their eclectic fiction shelves run along the huge wall parallel to the other sections of the store. The poetry and graphic novels section stand out for having excellent titles that are otherwise extremely hard to find!

 


Granth Bookstore

Granth
Granth

The recently renovated Granth Bookstore has quirky décor that would light up your soul, jazz music to keep you company, and loads of natural lighting that would keep you feeling fresh. If you are close to the Juhu beach, this is a great bookstore to drop by in. You can read a book and gaze at the beach while also drinking your cappuccino. The store has two floors. The first floor is dedicated to children’s books and cookbooks. Apart from the neat sections and doodles, the bookstore also has a range of coffee table books that are a dying genre in itself. 

 

Have you visited any of the bookstores above? Do you know of other bookstores in Mumbai that are your absolute favourites? Let us know in the comments below. 

 

 

Dramatic Reading of Paper Moon by Rehana Munir

The best way to unwind on a Sunday evening is to be part of a cosy gathering in an even cosier bookstore involved in reading and conversations that revolve around books!

 

Trilogy is a beautiful bookstore tucked away in one of the lanes in Bandra, a neighbourhood in Mumbai. On Sunday, 9th December, it hosted a dramatic reading from Rehana Munir’s Paper Moon that was launched at the Tata Literature Live! this year in Title Waves bookstore in Mumbai. After the reading, the author and the owners of Trilogy engaged in an eye opening conversation about the nitty-gritty of running an independent bookstore.

Rehana Munir had also run a bookstore in Santacruz, The Reader’s Shop, in the mid 2000s. She was also part of the small yet rich bookshop, Paperback@Prithvi. Her debut novel is similarly based on opening and managing of a bookstore. The protagonist, Fiza, receives an inheritance to open a bookshop in Bandra which she christens as Paper Moon.

 

The dramatic reading was done by actors Mukul Chadda and Sheena Khalid. They read beautiful excerpts from the novel and brought the setting and characters to life. The excerpts that were read included the ones that describe why Fiza chose the name Paper Moon for the bookstore, about her relationship with the suave literary Iqbal who drops by her shop often and about Fiza’s own practical struggles with setting up a bookstore such as being overwhelmed in a book warehouse.

After the wonderful reading session, the owners of Trilogy, Ahalya and Meethil, were in conversation with Rehana about the trials and tribulations of running independent bookstores. They spoke about the practical matters of searching through thousands of books and catalogues to buy them for the store, of getting the right space and furniture, and of maintaining the space as well.

The big elephant in the room was of course the big franchise stores and e-commerce sites that provide a different kind of book buying experience. Ahalya was clear about putting the idea that of course an independent bookstore is also a business but one which is deeply involved with bringing personal experiences to the reader. She mentioned about how she loves to recommend books to people who drop by and how she has to step into the shoes of an FBI profiler to figure out what books to recommend. She also was quick to point out that appearances do not mean a thing when it comes to recommending a book to a customer. People surprise her and that’s one of the things that make her realise why she is in this profession. I guess, just like books, we cannot judge someone by the cover!

While it was a “meta moment” for Rehana, as she put it, to have written a book about a bookstore and to be discussing the same book in an independent bookstore itself, both Ahalya and Rehana also cautioned against thinking of opening a bookstore with a romanticised spirit. It definitely has its own challenges but has its own satisfying moments too. Readers fill them with those satisfying moments.

Additionally, you do get to read a lot as well and to broaden your reading habits because when it comes to stocking the shelves with books, you also have to think about a variety of books that different kinds of readers might enjoy!

And the thoughtfulness, detail, and variety on display on Trilogy’s bookshelves are a proof of the investment and time lovingly put into the store.

 

Follow Rehana Munir on Twitter!

Read the book excerpt here.

Buy the book here.

Follow Trilogy on Facebook for their latest events!