Come Independence Day, Kolkata’s College Street is set to transform into an open-air book market, offering second-hand, rare books at throwaway prices — some even at as less as Rs 30.
The book sellers of the lane stack up the pavements with old books as part of their annual Independence Day ritual.
The range? You may find old and rare editions of books by Thomas Hardy and Sylvia Plath peeking from a stack of Subhash Mukhopadhyay or Mahadevi Varma poetry collections at the market.
While some hoist the national flag and some watch Independence Day parades on August 15, a section of Kolkatans stay busy hunting for gems amid piles of second-hand books laid all across College Street on the day.
Suranjana Paul, a 28-year-old independent research scholar from Behala, visits the book market almost every year on August 15.
“I learnt about this Independence Day sale on College Street from a friend back in college,” she said.
“You will find rare collections with some fond memories of the previous owner scribbled on the old pages. Also, don’t miss the haggle with the sellers; otherwise, you will miss the fun part of buying books,” she added.
College street (Srilekha Mitra)
Besides Independence Day, this book market opens for customers on Republic Day, Saraswati Puja and on May Day.
Debarati Mukherjee, a resident of Howrah, was surprised to discover the market on an Independence Day during her college life.
“I went to College Street with my best friend and was surprised to see books being sold even on a holiday. Later, I learnt it was a special market for the day,” said the 26-year-old academic professional.
Mukherjee clearly remembers that she bought Thikana by Nabanita Dev Sen and Plato in a Metro by Sinchan Chatterjee that day.
For bibliophiles who are on a tight budget, the Independence Day book fair on College Street is a must visit, said Mukherjee.
Aman Balmiki, a staff at the Reba Book stall in Kolkata, said they sold over 500 books last year and are looking forward to selling more books this year.
“Book lovers aim to buy as many books as possible on College Street on Independence Day, and it’s a challenge for booksellers like us to offer as much as they ask. Last year, we sold over 500 books, and we are looking forward to an increase in the number this year,” said Balmiki.