As India’s oldest bookstore enters its 180th year, it does so not merely as a relic of the past. Having been in operation since 1844, Chennai’s Higginbothams is reputed to be the oldest surviving bookstore in India. In the bustling heart of Chennai, amid the chaotic symphony of street vendors, and honking traffic, it is the door to India’s rich literary heritage.
How Did It Come Into Being?
Stepping into Higginbothams is akin to entering a bibliophile’s paradise. Established in 1844 by Abel Joshua Higginbotham, this venerable institution has weathered the tides of time. After an unsatisfactory time serving as a seaman, founder Abel Joshua Higginbotham didn’t learn he loved reading until he took over a Methodist missionary bookstore. Eventually, their business closed, but it paved the way for Higginbotham. In 1844, he founded his first store in Anna Salai (formerly Mount Road) after accepting the missionaries’ offer to sell him the stock of books.
Although it was a small operation at that time, his love of books and his skill in finding them helped him grow into one of the city’s most well-known and beloved booksellers by the British. Today, it is not just a bookstore but a cherished landmark in the nation’s literary landscape. From timeless classics to contemporary bestsellers, from scholarly tomes to whimsical novelties, the store caters to everyone.
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Higginbothams: Now
After 60 prosperous years, the bookstore is now under the care of his son, CH Higginbotham, in 1904, and moved into its present location in Anna Salai. Higginbotham and Co. produced some of the first Indian cookbooks on curries, such as Sweet Dishes: A Little Treatise on Confectionery and Entremets Surés by Arthur Robert Kenny-Herbert.
The ambience exudes a sense of antiquity, with its wooden shelves bearing the weight of centuries’ worth of wisdom. The soft glow from the floor-to-ceiling window casts a warm embrace over avid readers lost in the pages of their chosen volumes. The walls are laden with photographs and vintage posters. The structure also features a sloping Mangalore tile roof that is held up by metal trusses and wooden rafters that have been painted white. To stop water leaks, a polymer coating is additionally glazed onto the roof. The store is filled with examples of the architectural language, both old and new.
The legacy of Higginbothams extends far beyond its physical confines. It has witnessed the ebb and flow of history. Generations of luminaries, from Mahatma Gandhi to Rabindranath Tagore, from Jawaharlal Nehru to R.K. Narayan, have graced its portals, their words echoing through the corridors of time.
Have you visited this bookstore?
Cover image credits: Instagram/Higginbothams