Six bookstores in Mumbai worth visiting

I wander through aisles,

Between rows upon rows

Of books, covers and spines,

That beckon me

To take them home and

Put them on my shelves—

Soldiers standing to attention.

 

I feel for them, and thus,

I fill my cart with books

Their fantastic stories,

Their whispers and their dreams.

I buy them all, from cover to spine—

I tell myself, “I’ll read them someday,”

But honestly? I just like the display.

 

I penned this verse on an impulse. Books tend to stir my poetic imagination. But so do bookstores.

 

Whenever I visit places in Mumbai or travel to another city, the first thing I seek out is a bookstore. It doesn’t matter if it’s new, secondhand or a thrift store as long as it’s a place selling books where I can spend a couple of hours browsing quietly, in solitude. Books, especially comic-books, bring me joy.

 

Sometimes, these literary excursions make me dream of owning my own bookstore. But that doesn’t stop me from exploring other people’s bookstore dreams. Thankfully, Mumbai is home to many bookshops, complete with libraries, reading spaces, book launches, author signings and cosy cafés.

 

I explore some of Mumbai's popular bookshops and libraries, where you can lose yourself among books and the stories they tell.

 

Kitab Khana

The entrance and interiors of the colonial-style Kitab Mahal bookstore. Photo: Wikipedia

Kitab Khana, which means House of Books, is located near the historic Flora Fountain or Hutatma Chowk (Martyrs’ Square), right in the heart of South Mumbai. I make it a point to visit this bookstore whenever I find myself in that part of town. Kitab Khana has an old-world charm, which isn’t surprising considering it’s housed in a 150-year-old colonial-era building with high ceilings, wooden decor and Corinthian columns. The store has a vast collection of books spanning various genres, including titles in other Indian languages. At the back, there’s a lovely café where you can have a beverage and a snack while reading a book.

 

Granth Book Store

Granth Book Store attracts readers with its contemporary design and interiors. Photo: Granth

Mumbai-based Granth, which translates to Scripture, is a haven for book lovers with an in-store café. Nestled in the western suburb of Juhu, not far from the namesake beach, Granth offers a well-curated selection of fiction and nonfiction books, including coffee table, management and self-help. The store’s contemporary design, well-lit interiors and reading corners amplify the joy of browsing and buying books. Granth also has two other outlets: one at JW Marriott in Juhu and another at the Taj Santacruz Hotel near Mumbai Airport.

 

Title Waves

Title Waves is said to be Mumbai's first boutique bookstore. Photo: Title Waves

Making waves in the western suburb of Bandra is Title Waves, one of the largest bookstores in Mumbai. Touted as a boutique bookstore, Title Waves is aesthetically pleasing, which makes browsing its collection of multi-genre books more enjoyable. The store also hosts literary events, book launches and author interactions, which is always inspiring for both readers and wannabe writers. Title Waves is located near two popular shopping plazas, Linking Road and Elco Market, making it convenient for book lovers and shoppers to explore all three places in a single visit.

 

Leaping Windows

The cosy a café and comics library at Versova. Photo: Leaping Windows

Leaping Windows at Versova has been on my Mumbai list ever since I heard that it’s a café and comics library, and a pretty unique one at that. Considering that I have been reading and collecting comic-books since childhood, it’s a shame I haven’t visited the place yet. I believe the library, located in the basement, has an impressive collection of comic-books and graphic novels, including Marvel and DC, indie comics, and even international titles like Manga. Comic strips apparently leap out at you from the walls of Leaping Windows, and you can pay a nominal charge to enjoy your favourite comic-books in the reading room. The place also organises comics-related events, workshops and art exhibitions.

 

The Book House

The Book House has catered to three generations of my family. Photo: Prashant C. Trikannad

My grandfather, my dad and his brothers, and later my wife and I, have all frequented The Book House over the past fifty-odd years. Located at the entrance of an old building just off King’s Circle in the heart of the city, it’s one of Mumbai’s oldest and revered bookshops. What it lacks in distinction, it more than makes up for with an extensive collection of secondhand books, including some rare and out-of-print titles. The Book House, now run by a soft-spoken gentleman with a keen knowledge of his craft, caters to fiction and nonfiction readers, as well as college students. Be prepared to sift through stacks of books spilling onto the footpath—they might just hold the title you’re looking for or even surprise you with an unexpected one.

 

Trilogy Curated Bookshop & Library

The Trilogy's library section includes a range of nonfiction, children’s books and literary fiction, among others. Photo: Trilogy Curated Bookshop & Library

This is another bookstore I haven’t been to yet, but I’m eager to visit the place in Bandra as much for its books as for its fascinating story. Trilogy Curated Bookshop & Library was born out of “a consultancy of libraries,” which sounds like a quirky title of a book or movie. The founding duo began by setting up and maintaining libraries, starting with a collection of Indian wildlife books for a lodge in Rajasthan. This experience led them to open the first Trilogy library and bookshop at Lower Parel, central Mumbai, which later relocated to Bandra. “We called it Trilogy, the word symbolises a coming together of the reader, the writer and the book,” they explain on their website. True to its name, the bookstore offers readers and writers a sanctuary of curated books in both its library and bookshop. It also holds literary events, workshops and talks, and collaborates with organisations to create a thriving community of readers and writers.

 

These are by no means the only bookstores in Mumbai. I’m sure I’ve missed several tucked away in various corners of the city. If you’ve visited any of the bookstores featured here, or even ones that haven’t been mentioned, write to us at apocketfulofhappiness@gmail.com. Share your experiences, the books you bought and read, and photographs, if possible. We’d be delighted to hear from you and share your stories with our readers.

 

© Prashant C. Trikannad