We have a great piece of news for all the bibliophiles in Mumbai. The city’s iconic book store Kitab Khana is now open again for all book lovers. The book store had its share of troubles and was compelled to shut down. After having weathered a year of lockdowns and a large fire that gutted its interiors, it is finally reopening its doors again. They marked the reopening of the ten-year-old book store with a simple lamp-lighting ceremony.
The Fire Had Damaged 45,000 Books In Stock
To say that the pandemic has been a challenging time for independent bookstores would be putting it mildly. But when a raging fire broke out at Kitab Khana in December 2020, it felt like just another unforeseen plot twist. It looked like an almost inevitable climax to last year’s cruel narrative. Already hit by the nationwide lockdown, The fire damaged almost 45,000 books in stock at the store. However, the wait is finally over and the book store is now open after what seems like an eternity.
Also read: Bombay To Barcelona In Andheri Is A Library Cafe For A Cause
The wait is finally over. We can’t wait to see all of you tomorrow as we reopen our doors, after what seems like an eternity. See you in the morning. In case, you can’t make it, tune in to our #instalive as we share a glimpse of your favourite bookstore!#kitabkhanarises pic.twitter.com/bzCxGJyzCF
— Kitab Khana (@KitabKhanaBooks) March 10, 2021
The Book Reading Sessions And Discussions Will Commence Later
However, owing to the pandemic, popular calendar events like book readings, discussions, and sessions for children will have to wait. That said, there were warm conversations with frequent visitors on day one itself. The store serves as a platform for social, cultural, and intellectual interactions to happen.
Also read: Kolkata Launches Boat Library In River Hoogly; Read Over 500 Books With A View.
Industrialists Samir Somaiya and wife Amrita Somaiya are not letting this passion project crumble despite the blows. This book store is scripting a revival and we can’t be happier.