Locked up in a library to missing in a book shop

Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of books.” I think American novelist Jane Smiley had me in mind while writing these words.

A diehard bibliophile, reading has been my passion since school days. For me, books contain mysterious, enchanting worlds, and reading them is like conversing with the finest minds while unravelling the unknown.

Two places I can spend hours without regret are the library and the book shop. I find the feel of the pages on my fingertips and the smell of fresh ink on paper of the new arrivals in the bookshop so intoxicating!

The dim-lit racks of libraries contain the most brilliant ideas from all over the globe, waiting to enlighten our minds. Book shops have an irresistible pull for me, and the sight of one drags me towards itself, though my husband tries his best to distract me, his argument being that first I should finish reading the ones stacked at home.

But when passion becomes a craze, it can put you in unsavoury situations. From almost getting locked up in a library, to going missing in a book shop, I have found myself in a tight corner many a times.

While living on the university campus, I went to the library in the evening knowing that the reading hall remained open till 8pm, but oblivious of the fact that it being Lohri, they were closing early. As I saw lights being switched off one by one, I rushed to the stairs and saw an employee closing the main gate. “Hello!” I shouted. “Madamji, what are you doing here?” came the shocked response. Thank God, my husband was taking a stroll outside with our toddler kids, and would have handled any eventuality.

Years later, the whole family was in a book shop in Sector 17, Chandigarh; each one scanning his favourite section. After a few minutes, my family found me missing. They looked for me all around, got panicky, asked the shop attendants, went out to look in the corridors, and adjoining shops. Finally, I was found sitting on a low stool in a cozy corner, engrossed in reading.

Lately, I have found the airport to be the best place to saunter into a bookshop while waiting for a flight. Two years ago, while waiting for a flight to the US at Delhi airport, I bought two voluminous books. During our stay there, I got some books from my son’s library to read. It was only at the end of our trip while helping me pack that my son found the two voluminous books in my bag, “You brought these books to read, but you never took them out!” “No, I didn’t bring these to read them here,” I said. “Then why did you bring them?” “I picked them up at Delhi airport,” I said sheepishly. “You brought these here only to carry them back home, adding to the weight! Oh my God, Mataji tussin great ho (Mom, you’re great).”

THE DIM-LIT RACKS OF LIBRARIES CONTAIN THE MOST BRILLIANT IDEAS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE, WAITING TO ENLIGHTEN OUR MINDS. BOOK SHOPS HAVE AN IRRESISTIBLE PULL