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If you switch on your television at 9 pm on any given day and surf a range of news channel, more often than not, over dramatised political debates are what you’d encounter. The statesman’s flair of acting and the media’s preoccupation with all things sensationalised are a few of the factors that have lead to these political debates becoming a source of entertainment as opposed to information for Indians. But where does one go to take a break from the ruckus of the news-hour debates and satisfy their want to hear newer perspectives that haven’t been heard before? The city of Mumbai is home to one such place that proves to be a breath of fresh air for those looking to educate themselves about vernacular takes on subjects across different fields.
People’s Book House is a 70-year-old establishment located in the cultural hub of South Bombay — Fort. On entering the quaint store, one experiences a different world altogether — away from the din of hagglers, the chaos of the overcrowded streets and the hustle and bustle of Bombay. What makes the place more interesting the vibrant history of this iconic bookstore. Here is a peek into the very beginning of what is now an institution.
The Communist Party is said to have established the book house in the year 1953. The store through the course of time has gone through several name changes. It first came into existence as a book cart in Bombay which mostly sold Russian literature along with Marxist and Leninist writings. It was only after the fall of the Soviet Union that it began its tryst with vernacular literature.
The disintegration of the communist nation halted the supply of Russian literature to India, as a result of which, book vendors turned to vernacular writing and began selling both original and translated works of the same to fill in the huge gap made by the lack of leftist literature. Post Independence, it became a hub for Left party workers, members of trade unions, students of politics and humanities, and writers to drop by and have discussions and deliberations over various topics. Its association with the Left since its birth, is the reason why we see works integral to the Communist Party of India like ‘People’s Democracy’ and ‘New Age’ finding a home in its shelves today.
It also became one of the centres for resistance and voicing dissent in the 1960s, when the state of Maharashtra was finally carved out. The agitation in the region caused by movements like Samyukta Maharashtra, led to protests, including those headed by poets and writers. They protested through their writing by translating works that helped people broaden their perspectives.
Their translations from international and national works helped readers get comparative lenses of sorts to look at the world that went way beyond their imaginary regional boundaries. The Little Magazine movement in the region helped people deconstruct ideas of regionalism and nationalism in the country. This spirit is exuded by People’s Book House even today.
The main aim of People’s Book House today is to be a platform that allows the residents of the city to have access to progressive works of Marathi and Hindi literature including publications that cover political issues and environmental concerns across the country. It is also a medium through which Lokvangmay Griha, the vernacular printing press located within the premises of the book house, sells its works.
These two organisations have a symbiotic relationship of sorts which helps provide a space for people of city to take a peek into alternative opinions and choose their ideology after being familiar with both sides of the coin as opposed to being fed thoughts from mainstream media and literature. Over the years, the book house has gained itself a regular clientele and patrons from different parts of the city and country.
People’s Book House offers books that held great importance to people in the past, and to some even today. Despite their affordable prices, these works aren’t those that can be easily found at your regular Crossword or Odyssey. The book house has collection of works on different subjects in English, Hindi and Marathi from detailed historical accounts written by Leftist historians like Bipin Chandra to simplified versions of works by Marx and Engels. A small collection of children books are also available in the store for sale.
This is an opportunity for individuals interested in Leftist ideology to delve deeper into their area of interest. For those that shy away from any sort of academic literature, there is a wide range of varied vernacular works to choose from. It is interesting to see how after decades of its establishment, People’s Book House is still going strong and representing its Leftist origins and vernacular narratives and is known to be one of the few places in the country that continue to fuel subaltern and communist discourses.
Address: Shop No.15, Meher House, Cawasji Patel Street, Near Akbar Ali Departmental Store, Fort, Mumbai-400001, Maharashtra, India
Timings: Monday to Friday: 10 am to 6:30 pm
Saturdays: 10 am to 5:00 pm
The store is closed on Sundays.
Feature image courtesy of Twitter
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