Bhubaneswar: Modern Book Depot, one of the Capital City’s oldest independent bookstores, is facing imminent closure after the landlord of the property slapped an eviction notice on the storeowners sometime ago. Opened in 1970, the over fivedecade-old iconic landmark at Master Canteen Square has been a favourite destination for a variety of readers –from renowned writers, bureaucrats, politicians to journalists and thinkers – from across Odisha and outside too.
Opened by Dewan Chand, a Punjabi migrant, at a time when Bhubaneswar used to be a sleepy township with a sizeable number of book connoisseurs, the mantle of running the establishment later fell on the shoulders of his son Om Prakash. 75-year-old Om Prakash, who studied at Sainik School in the City, told this reporter that he could have made a career in defence services. “But I decided to assist my father in running Modern Book Depot in Calcutta, and later when it expand to Bhubaneswar,” he said. He said he was around 20- years-old when he joined his father at the family enterprise. “My love for books has kept me motivated to run this shop which is one of the oldest bookstores in Odisha. We have also bookstores in Agra, Kolkata, Shillong and Siliguri,” he said. Sometime ago, former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had paid a surprise visit to the store after hectic campaigns for the last state and general elections to buy some books. Not just Patnaik, a string of former chief ministers such as JB Patnaik, Biju Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang also used to visit the bookstore often, informed Om Prakash. The bookstore had the rare privilege of having Nobel laureate VS Naipaul as its patron who once visited in the company of his wife Nadira.
Moreover, famous chef and Indian food writer Tarla Dalal and Jnanpith award winner UR Anantamurthy had also visited the bookstore, Om Prakash said. Om Prakash said the bookstore has been an integral part of the City’s history and its growth. “It’s a heritage place for book lovers. The city doesn’t have that many bookstores where readers can get a wide range of books,” Om Prakash said adding that the closure of the store would mean the discontinuation of an old tradition intrinsically woven into the cultural and intellectual fabric of the Temple Town. He said the thought of closing down the store hurts him deep within as it would mean his lifelong sacrifice meeting an abrupt end. “Apart from me, nobody in my family is interested in running this bookstore. My father started this bookstore, and therefore, there are a lot of emotions attached to this place. All I want is to run the establishment till I am around,” he said emotionally.
Meanwhile, scores of book lovers and netizens extended their support and shared fond memories on social media advocating for the preservation of the establishment. Tarani Trotter a social media user shared, ”Save The Cultural Centre of Bhubaneswar! If you think of any non-academic bookstore in a Tier-II city like Bbsr, how many such standalone stores can come to your mind ! I’m sure, it must be just a couple of such outlets with Modern Book Depot at Station Square, leading the way.” Rites Misra a social media user said: “Spent a major part of my childhood in this shop. Om Prakash of Modern Book Depot Bhubaneswar. He always has a varied collection of books. In recent times many bookstores in several parts of the country shut down. Let’s hope that is not yet another one.”
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP