Calcutta has invariably been about booklovers and book-readers. Families in Calcutta, whether they live in a commodious house or in a rented apartment, will unerringly have a bookstore, whether a miniature or a gigantic one. Reading is one of the most inextricable habits in a Bengali’s way of living that she or he learns unknowingly through familial ties during the formative years and later on passes down, in the similar fashion, to the posterity.
To address this passion, recently Kolkata gifted its denizens a unique bookstore named ‘Bingsha Shatabdi’ that is unusual to the point of fantasticality. The bookstore is themed over ‘Cats’, and has been inaugurated in one of the most exciting areas in the city, Park Street.
The bookstore has its walls carrying pictures of cats; and these cats are all engaged in activities, such as reading with thick glasses on. And in fact, there is one cat that knows German! How interesting is that! The predominant mood within the walls is very capably transportive to make you believe as though you have walked into a world never lived before. The seating arrangements with comfy chairs and tables inside accentuate the overall tone of chirpiness.
The bookstore has a marked diversity in terms of the range of books. From eternal favourites to the current bestsellers, the bookstore has it all housed here. One will be spoilt for choice here, as one gets to explore all the different forms of literature here, beginning from the novels and poetry to comics! There are books on both fiction and non-fiction to satiate your reading zeal. Besides these, one can thumb through a variety of lexicons here, thereby inflating the miscellanea. Another interesting feature is that the place does not only have books on vernacular literature as well as English literature, but also has a greater and diversified collection of literature from other languages such as French.
The bookstore will soon open a section of café inside so that the bibliophiles can sip away through the reading sessions. And this makes the destinations all the way more attractive as Bongs are not just neck-deep into reading but are also keen lovers of good tea and coffee.
Kolkata has invariably been an interesting destination for travelers, and now with this fascinating addition, the city will redouble the same enthusiasm. So next time when you fly to the city, make sure you do take a trip to this bookstore to meet the cats.
Author : Satarupa Hajra