If people do not go to book shops, why not take them to people?
This is the thought behind the launch of a mobile book shop in Bengaluru called Pusthaka Preethi , which means `love of books’.
Launched by a bunch of book lovers who have formed Kriya Madhyama Private Limited, the book mobile is simply a Maruti Omni van equipped to stack up books. On reaching a particular destination, the person running the shop just puts down a couple of folding tables to display around 300 books of various publications.
Interestingly, the focus of this shop will be “progressive literature” of all kinds and it will particularly pitch tent in venues of seminars, book launches, protests, rallies and so on. Its dominant theme will be in tune with the occasion.
“For instance, if it is a seminar on Dalit literature or a protest by Dalit groups, there will be predominantly books on B.R. Ambedkar, the Dalit movement or writings of Dalit writers. If it is a women’s gathering, we will focus on women’s literature and movement,” explains Vasanth Kadekar, one of the persons behind the initiative.
The focus is not on “what sells in the market” but rather on “what ought to reach people”, according to him.
A mobile Pusthaka Preethi shop may also pitch tent at Freedom Park, where protests of various kinds are held almost every day.
Although Kriya Madhyama also runs a book shop in Mahalakshmi Layout and holds monthly discussions on books, it hit upon the idea because it felt people no longer flock to book shops as they did before.
Log on to pusthakapreethi.wordpress.com for more on the initiative.
