There is nothing on Earth that compares to the smell of a new book. Or an old book. Or any book for that matter. Trapped between paper and ink are more than stories, there are memories, emotions and sometimes entire lives. With the advent of eBooks the love for the printed word has suffered an almost irreparable blow. Even in this small window of remaining literature, very few stray from the beaten path, perhaps you can access the classics but if you ever had the urge to explore something a little left of centre, where would you go?

For many years, the answer to that question has been, undoubtedly, ‘Underground Bookhouse’ by Bombay n/Underground. The infamous independant bookstore has been the go-to destination for self-published zines and literature that’s been deemed a bit too ‘out there’ for the mainstream market. They’ve established themselves as the only space that sells independantly funded newspapers and periodicals which can’t be found anywhere else and for every sale they make, money goes into funding the Dharavi ART Room. A space devoted to involving underprivileged children in the fine arts. Unfortunately because of the current climate they’ve run aground and need a little crowdfunded push to get back in the water. Print is suffering and libraries are dying, if you believe that a space like Underground Bookhouse has the potential to be a centre of a community rather than a mere shop, help keep the movement alive.

If you want to browse their amazing collection before they close their doors check out their closing sale:

Venue: Garage No. 5, Luisa Apartments, St. John The Baptist Rd, Bandra (W) on th

Date: 14th, 15th and 16th April

Time: 3 - 9 p.m.

To donate, share or support check out their crowdfunding campaign, here.

We caught up with Bombay Underground creators, Himanshu and Aqui to learn more about the project over the years.

Homegrown: How did you first conceive Bombay Underground?

Bombay Underground: Bombay Underground was formed as a need to actively / constructively better our own lives and the world we want to live in, we make zines, indulge in interventions in the city, work with communities under-going forceful change, it’s been more than fifteen years now and we are still consistently doing it. After setting up reading spaces in the city a few many times, last year we once again set up our, ‘underground bookhouse’ in bandra, it is our grass roots response to the fact that most publishing houses and book-stores are either ignorant of radical literature and zines or deliberately exclude such materials. It’s hard to find library materials that challenge the for-profit, corporate culture. The well-stocked public and university libraries, though publicly funded, primarily serve private middle-class constituencies – businesses, professions, students, job-seekers, and consumers. There is a clear gap in the information world. Setting up ‘underground bookhouse’, is an extension of our activities to fix this.

HG: What does the written word mean to you and why do you prefer the experience of a physical book?

BU: Everything is online (well that is what we are told) but it’s still good to hold a physical book in your hands. There’s something different about books that you just need to see them; you need to feel them, you need to open them up, you need to be able to do that. Same with the zines, which will constitute a larger part of the collection. The heart of the act of zine-making, is to be rooted in physical interaction between zinester, zine, and the reader. Zines were meant to be handed from person to person, physically shared. The experience of handling zines in person, turning each page to reveal intimate secrets, funny comics, and poetry, can’t be duplicated on-line. You would get the content, but miss out on the physical experience.

In the age of tech, social media, and instant access to anything and everything, books, zines and bookspaces help slow us down in a good way.

HG: If the crowdfunding campaign is a success what are your plans for the Underground Bookhouse?

BU: We need more independent bookspaces as a city, we have none. In the true spirit of the D-I-Y culture, we will be the ones to fix this. We have all dreamed of owning a library/bookstore, this is the time to make it real. A bookspace owned by booklovers.

Bookhouse will always remain a community space, people come here to meet-up, go out on dates, people hang out here, browse for hours, get inspired, bring their kids on the weekend, exchange small smiles with strangers. This will remain a space where memories will be made.

As a bookspace, we will specialize in handpicked used feature film, philosophy, graphic literature, zines and other independent publications, children’s books, new art and design magazines, and publications by small local presses, as well as select design objects, paper products, vintage housewares, collectables and other curios that we find in our continual search for distinctive used books.

Activities we host at the bookhouse, like the Bombay Zine Fest, will bring together people who are interested and involved in making zines and DIY publishing, sharing ideas and stories. Conversations thus started, will make something big happen in our community.

If we are successful together, we will celebrate the voice of co-operation and the power of sharing.

When you support an independent bookspace, no matter where you are, you are supporting learning, growth, diversity and inclusion.

If you want to learn more about their work follow them on Facebook and Instagram. You can also check out dharaviartroom to see the good work they’ve been doing.

Feature image courtesy Nor Black Nor White