Hooked and booked
Amongst bibliophile couples, one would assume the bonds of love are glued together by their common interest — reading. I have often wondered what the highest form of togetherness would be for such couples. Recently, I’ve decided that the transition from being mere book-lovers to bookstore-owning couples, most certainly, would be the Holy Grail for a bookworm-twosome.
I am reminded of three valiant couples who have run book shops facing many adversities, and never giving up on their shared love for books.
There is Meethil Momaya and Ahalya Naidu of Trilogy Bookstore and Library in Amchi Mumbai. Taking their love of books into the realm of start-up entrepreneurship they’ve also created a unique curated service setting up personalised libraries for
corporates, hotels and even housing societies. They recently shut down their outlet in Lower Parel opting to move to an even better location near Joggers Park, Bandra.
Another intrepid bookstore-couple is Satabdi Mishra and Akshaya Ravtaray from Orissa. They’ve created an experience called the Walking Book Fairs — a colourful truck laden with books that they drive across India to small villages and dusty towns. It’s always a wonderful sight to see pictures of the excitement and joy that they bring wherever they go with their mobile bookstore, impressing children and adults alike. Now, they also have a brick ’n’ mortar bookshop in Bhubaneswar of the same name.
But, the grand, old bookshop-couple is the late KD Singh and his wife Nini of The Bookshop in Jor Bagh, New Delhi. Starting in the 1970s, they faced numerous uphill battles including the shutting down of their Khan market branch. But now, after more than 45 years they have literally created an institution. At one time, if someone quite literally wanted to hob-nob with the whos-who of New Delhi, all they had to do was to hang around The Bookshop. Sadly, KD Singh has passed on but Nini continues the legacy with her charming smile and friendly recommendations firmly in place.
All of the above bookstore-couples have had their commitments challenged on almost a daily basis. And it may be true that there could be further trouble in paradise on account of falling readership. But, since they are a couple with a shared passion, they are each other’s support system. After all, if running restaurants and start-ups together can foster deeper kinship among couples, then why shouldn’t running independent bookshops?