Kitab Khana – A book cafe

Kitab Khana is an beautiful book store, tucked between old buildings of Fort area. The book store is like small oasis in the dry dessert of office buildings with people toiling their day inside cubicles.

Walking into this bookstore is so refreshing for it has the typical charm of huge Indian homes. The checker tiles is a very common site from old Indian architecture. The maze of bookshelves and stacked books on the tables makes it a very long journey to reach the other end. The luminous book covers trying to attract the eyes while fingers running through the fabulous thick paper covers is just so soothing for my mind.

Needless to say the bookstore has amazing collection of books from politics, fiction, non-fiction, poems, etc. Honestly, i get attracted to every tiny bookstore. Further on, there is a lovely small platform demarcating the place with kids books and other kids items. Its a common site to see tiny toddlers and kids sitting on the floor and enjoying a color book or some cute story book with lot of colorful drawings.

The bookstore has beautiful wooden staircase leading to another floor that houses more books. Very aptly, this floor has books on self guide, spirituality, literature and many Hindi and Gujarati books. There are huge chairs to enjoy some read with some quiet space to yourself while over looking the the busy bookstore movements on the floor below. There is another small staircase from back connecting both floors which is something the inner child in me enjoyed going up and down. The bookstore also has small cafeteria that serves chai, coffee and some snacks. I personally feel without chai a bookstore get very dry. But then its just me.

When Akhil and I visit a bookstore, we tend to hang out for hours. So just outside the bookstore, there is chaiwala with brun maska. Aah, simple joy of Mumbai life. The book store has a warm community feeling and they do hold book readings and exhibitions. So do get connected to Kitab Khana get notified for such events. Such places are perfect way to make some bookworm friends or just be lost all by yourself.

This place is a window to Mumbaikars enjoying some quiet time. Though rare.

Here is a little visual treat of this place: