A CONCEPT BOOKSTORE IN JAFFNA
Located at 20A College Lane, Jaffna, the physical outlet of Venpaa is not luxurious, but rather serene and soothing
Venpaa in Tamil refers to a meter in traditional Tamil verse. Bearing this classic Tamil word, a distinctive bookstore called Venpaa has become the talk of the town in Jaffna ever since its inception in December 2018.
Venpaa is the first concept bookstore in Jaffna solely dedicated to providing Tamil books published in different parts of the world in one place.
The physical outlet of Venpaa is located in College Road, Jaffna, next to Jaffna Hindu Primary School.
The online platform can be accessed at www. venpaa.lk. It is noteworthy that this is the first online platform in Sri Lanka where one can buy world-wide Tamil publications.
He has also earned a place in the upcoming book-fair in Jaffna which is scheduled to take place from August 27 to September 1 at Veerasingam Hall. Venpaa will be there at Stall Number 18 with books of different genres and stationaries. – A bookstore of this sort, where everything is carefully handpicked fulfils the void that prevailed in Jaffna peninsula in terms of book buying. Located at 20A College Ln, Jaffna, the physical outlet of Venpaa is not luxurious, but rather serene and soothing. Set in a beautiful space, it gives you an invigorating feel as you enter. The interior details of this bookstore are minute, thoughtful and excellently designed. The books are arranged based on the genre and what more; they are beautifully placed in wooden shelves. Books and wooden shelves go hand in hand as beautiful companions and this is one such minute detailing you can find in Venpaa. The creative mind behind this innovative bookstore is a 29-yearold young man named Subramaniam Sudharshan . Sudharshan was born and bred in Jaffna. As a child, he had experienced war first-hand. He grew up listening to the stories of war from his grandmother and one story which affected him the most and which is one of the reasons behind the creation of Venpaa is the burning of Jaffna
The selection of books in Venpaa is chosen by this writer and director himself. Born into a middleclass family, he made his dream come true through dedication and hard work
public library. His family was forced to leave their home in Jaffna during the war in 1995.
Sudharshan is an avid reader and a writer himself. His writing speaks directly to the soul and portrays the most intricate and nuanced human emotions. As a voracious reader, he always felt the lack of availability of good Tamil books in Sri Lanka. What he lacked, he wanted the next generation to have it. As a result, the dawn of Venpaa is the successful outcome of this young man’s dream to provide the best for the Jaffna community in the form of books.
The selection of books in Venpaa is chosen by this writer and director himself. Born into a middle-class family, he made his dream come true through dedication and hard work. Within eight months of opening Venpaa, he has achieved what he strived hard throughout his early twenties; a concept bookstore for the Jaffna community.