The Way to a Reader’s Heart is via her Stomach

Entering Mumbai’s Kitab Khana was like a shot in the arm for someone as book-crazy as I am. Remember, in namma Bengaluru, we’ve just said a tearful goodbye to Strand at Manipal Centre; to PageTurners next to Lakeview on MG Road; to ver.1 of Gangarams (i.e, its 3-floored avatar…it’s now opposite Bhima on Church Street, on one floor of a new building); to the Crossword flagship store on Residency Road (the satellite ones at Indiranagar, Frazer Town, etc are more about toys, magazines, music, etc); and earlier, to old Premier off Church Street.

 

So this lovely store in a heritage building right beside Flora Fountain, with books that go up to the roof, somehow spelt hope to readers (and writers!). Of course, the fact that it has a great café attached to it, only adds to its charms…a particularly divine dessert menu!

 

All the kids’ literature events at Kala Ghoda happen in this store, where managers and assistants look on stoically as kids traipse thru the shop, to and from some book launch, workshop or reading. I couldn’t ask for a better place to launch ‘A Pair of Twins’ (published by Karadi Tales).

 

I had a close college friend of mine travelling to Mumbai with me. And we both planned to check out all that we could of the Kala Ghoda culture menu in the few days we were there. But somehow, before book launch and after it, we’d find ourselves back at Kitab Khana, running up huge bills at the book section AND at the café. Having a friend in tow also means that there’ll be some decent pictures of the event. Shanti got a nice one of Nayantara, the young illustrator (in the sari) and me. And the nonstop catching-up-on-gossip meant I had no time to feel nervous!

 

Here’s a link to my blogpost on the Karadi Tales site.

 

http://karadionline.blogspot.in/2014/02/a-black-horse-burly-bear-elephant-and.html

 

 

There are a couple of other tidbits about the book from the Net…
http://eprahaar.in/childrens-literature-flourishes-at-kala-ghoda-festival/

http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/PrintNews.aspx?NewsId=5865156759