Bookshops in India

leslie

Now a new bookstore opposite elite hotel has good books and a very friendly guy at the bookstore.I don't remember the bookstore name.He is not like the other bookstore people,will not disturb you,unless you ask him anything.

I visited a book store in Bangalore MG Road...the sales people will be after you.....it is disgusting service.


Leslie.
OK,USA

Nick-H

Chennai

Further to Beach's great post, Landmark in Spencer Plaza has to be mentioned, because it is big. Good selection of fiction. Higinbothams seems to be stronger on non-fiction, including some obscure stuff as well as the usual computer/mangement (boredom/bullshit ) books. Despite being the oldest bookshop in India it has a rather chracterless atmosphere.

Fountainhead, a smaller shop in Radakrishnan Salai, is nice for a browse, and often has reduced bargains. It is strong on English-language fiction by Indian authors.

There are second-hand stalls in Luz Avenue too where books can be had for a few rupees. Mrs N stopped to browse one recently and I was astonished at the knowledge of his stock shown by the proprietor, who was not much out of childhood.

...and I think this thread deserves Sticky status!

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capt_mahajan

in hyderabad, walden has been already mentioned in an earlier post.

and crossword.

for second hand books, try the junction of tilak road and abids on sunday mornings.

in bombay, strand is it. and the pavements near churchgate/flora fountain. its amazing what gems you can pick up there (including out of print stuff), dirt cheap.

shere

Prakash Book Depot, 1 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, Delhi are very good. I ordered a few books via email and they were ready and waiting for me as arranged. They also gave a nice discount (much more than the usual 10% given by some shops).

2cents

They have the best collection of postcards I have come across in all of Kochi.Their collection of photo-essay,coffeetable books is bigger,better and far more varied than what can be found in larger bookshops in the city.
And the books are not restricted to just english language ones either;I noticed a few shelfs full of ones in french too.

Pheta Ande

Also in Mumbai, Crosswords in Kemps Corner. They have a fantastic coffee shop!

yatrayatra

Advani's in Lucknow - excellent bookshop and very good recommendations !

Darmabum

Harmony Books, right on the river at Asi Ghat. Very good selection of English fiction, new and classics, poetry, great selection of ayurvedic books, Indian philosophy, music, yoga . . .

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sharm

Landmark In Infinity mall in Mumbai is very good
Crossword is another good book shop in Mumbai

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Palexurdy

Kolkata's Landmark is probably the biggest bookshop I've seen in India.
There's a good one at the beginning of the main shopping road in Lucknow, possibly called 'Premier'.
Motilal Banarsidas publish books on specifically Indian topics, mainly religion. They have branches in Kolkata, Varanasi & Chennai, among other places.

seraph

Here are a couple that have yet to be mentioned:

Crosswords in Kolkata (located on Elgin Rd.) is a good choice and is just down the street from "The Forum" - where you can also see English language films.

There are also some good used and new book stands on Sudder street and Mirza Ghalib street (Free School St.) right across from the fire station. Some of these books are actually photocopies (you can tell by looking for handwritten numbers on the pages that are not enumerated).

Motilal Benarsidas is on Camac street and has a good selection, though it was weird shopping in what amounted to an office (imagine four desks with people working and books all around them).

Oxford books on Park Street has been renovated recently and now has a coffee shop. It is a quality bookstore, but they are not very friendly (IMO).

It has been a few years, but in Cochin I went to a beautiful bookstore called Saraswati Books (if I am not mistaken) on the same street as the synagogue ("Jew street"). They were very helpful and sent me books to the US.

In Darjeeling don't miss Oxford Books - "Browsers required, no experience necessary."

Aishah

Two for Delhi that are favourites with me - Oxford Book Store in big building (I think Statesman House?) on cnr of Barkhamba Road and Connaught Circus, and the one underneath Cafe Turtle in Khan Market. Both have great selections of books in English, and both have brilliant Cafes attached!

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geeree

Yeah, I like the Oxford too! I am not too happy with their collection but the ambience makes it hard to leave the place. I've been living in Allahabad for the last three years and a discovery of an excellent book store in this small town was surprising — Wheeler's Book House on M. G. Road. Although it is slowly changing for worse, I think it competes with some good book stores in bigger cities.

Girish.

atala

As far as I have seen the Picadilly Book Shop at Connaught Place, M section, New Delhi, has not been mentioned yet. This shop has virtually every English book with an Indian topic, foreign or Indian prints.

For Pondicherry, the VAK bookstore was not mentioned, mostly spiritual and travel books. At Nehru St. below the Canal.

John Rambow

Re: mailing books back from India. The Strand in Bangalore, and I assume in Mumbai as well, will mail books you buy basically at cost. They use the post office, so it takes a while, but it saves the hassle of a visit to the PO.

Idiom, in Kochi, has an even better offer. They'll mail other books of yours home along with the ones you bought from them.