Kitabi Chai: A Bookstore that Builds Communities
As a young child, I remember the scholastic book fair that used to happen on our school campus on report days. It was filled with a variety of options catering to children of different age groups. I would always fiddle and browse but never buy any of them. My dad had his own mini library with books stocked in every imaginable place, and my mother would warn against adding to that overflowing collection.
Growing up, books became an integral part of my life, and I would voraciously consume any piece of literature I could get my hands on. It became a safe space, a refuge of sorts from the harsh realities of the world, which is why I was ecstatic when I stumbled across Kitabi Chai, a book café with the cosiest vibe. The place felt like home away from home, even though it's just a five-minute bike ride away.
Geetika Anand is the founder and sole proprietor of Kitabi Chai, a book café in Pune. She wears a constant smile while interacting with the customers. The café has close to 6000 books, and Geetika, who affectionately likes to be called ‘Geets’, also has a bookstore cum godown in Pisoli containing around 16,000 books. Having done her MBA in Media, with experience in the education sector, she lights up while speaking about the space she’s built patiently over the years.
She recalls her childhood memories of her mother taking her to the bookstore during the summer holidays and giving her the leeway to buy as many books as possible. Those moments of bliss sowed the seeds of literature, which would later turn her into a bibliophile. The dream would manifest into a bookstore much later in life.
The Business of Bringing People Together
It all started with the desire to meet new and like-minded people. In December of 2017, she shifted into a new place and was looking for a space where people could come and chill, be themselves and talk to strangers. So, as a trial basis, they started this small informal space and waited to see if things would work out, and today she’s running a thriving café. But before thinking of the café, the idea of Kitabi Chai started as a community-driven place.
Apart from the books, the place also hosts events like open mics where aspiring artists, poets, and storytellers come together in an informal setting. The Pune Writers' Group meetings usually take place on every second and fourth Saturday, a great way to mingle with other writers, considering the solitary nature of this craft. Other informal art- and culture-related small groups also find their own voice, creating a wholesome vibe.
So apart from books, it's also the perfect place to find your offline tribe, creating a third space where you are free to be yourself, laughing, smiling, cheering and having a good time.
When asked about the location, she jokingly stated that their strength was that they’re on the third floor in the corner and their weakness is that they’re on the third floor and in the corner. The cosiness of it is lovely, but one needs to cover some distance before discovering it.
There are many sweet-bitter learnings along the way. Every customer is a new experience. But her free-spirited self asserts that these are good changes. Change is the only constant in an evolving world, and Geetika seems to have beautifully captured its essence.
Recommendations from a Bibliophile
According to her, the books provide the first filter and the crowd that comes in is inclined towards those habits. As an ardent lover of stories myself, I couldn’t help but ask her for recommendations.
Being from Madhya Pradesh, she demonstrates her love for Hindi literature, advising everyone who adores the language to try Sadat Hasan Manto and Ismat Chughtai, stating that they were way ahead of their time. Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Charitraheen was one story she showered with praise. But the best parting advice for any reader or writer out there.
‘Try reading anything and everything. That’s when you will understand your genre.’
This may ring true for art, but similar advice can be used while finding your purpose as well. Trying different things, reading different genres can help expand the mind, instilling different philosophies.
So, in a world filled with shorter reels by the day, swiping right and left on apps, take some time off to sit and enjoy the company of books, because through books one can live a thousand different lives.