Some literary cheer for a bustling metropolis

Despite the laments of Mumbaikars, there are still some bookshops and libraries that hold out hope for bibliophiles

Mumbai 21/04/2018: PICTURE FOR WORLD BOOK DAY. ATTN. GAURI VIZ. Book stalls at Fountain. Photo: Vivek Bendre

Chetana Book Centre

The 72-year-old Chetana Book Centre continues to re-examine ancient Indian culture and spiritualism through its rich corpus of literature. Expect to find commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita dominate pocket-sized editions of Akshaya Mukul’s Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India , tomes on Islamic art and architecture, punctuated with guidebooks on playing the sitar and the harmonium.

Phone: 22851243

Granth

At 3,300 square feet, this Juhu store is located above a garment shop called Pagli (!). As a seller of mainstream titles with a coffee machine to boot, Granth is a welcome oasis in a neighbourhood mostly associated with Bollywood. What’s missing though, are those indie titles.

Phone: 2660 9327

Kitab Khana

The natural successor of the now shuttered Strand Book Stall, Kitab Khana is run by Mr. Jagath Tekkate, a protégé of the legendary Mr. T.N. Shanbhag. Packed to the rafters with a mix of Mumbai books, the latest potboilers, a spiritual section, a kids’ corner and a lovely café – Kitab Khana is on its way to becoming a city institution.

Phone: 6170 2276

Marine Sports

A 60-year-old independent bookshop, Marine Sports, has unwittingly shaped the fledgling careers of cricketers, referees and sports journalists. Located on a relatively busy road, a stone’s throw from Dadar’s Portuguese Church, Marine Sports is India’s only bookshop dedicated exclusively to books on sport, and one of only three in the world.

Phone: 2432 1047

Title Waves

Tucked into a quiet Bandra lane is this sprawling shop, reminiscent of the old Crossword at Kemp’s Corner. With in-house coffee, chances are you might bump into the neighbourhood’s Bollywood elite picking up a cuppa or a tome, or both, at this popular book launch venue.

Phone: 2651 0841

Trilogy

A large light-filled space, Trilogy run by a dedicated couple, Ahalya Naidu and Meethil Momaya, is a welcome addition to the city’s former mill land of Lower Parel, now a luxury retail hub. The best part is you can become a member of its library as well.

Phone: 80805 90590

Wayward and Wise

When Virat Chandok is at the helm of a bookshop, you know you are in good hands. Dubbed by bibliophiles as the best curated bookshop in the city, Wayward and Wise recalls the now shuttered Lotus Book House (that Chandok used to manage) that would source just about any rare title you needed. Expect to find rare editions and graphic novels with the latest Booker Prize winners.

Phone: 6634 9946