#history
Railway Book Stalls.
Book Stalls on railway platforms are a legacy we inherited from the British.
The book stalls on the railway platforms were one of the most preferred stops during a train journey till about two decades ago.
One could find a good book to be purchased and read during the long journeys, some of the trips taking several days across the States.
The arrival of the mobile phone and laptop and the easy availability of the internet has put paid to the habit of reading books during train journeys. At best you stop at the book stalls for buying a magazine.
A H Wheeler was a familiar name among the railway station book stalls.
The first A.H.Wheeler Stall was opened in 1888 at Allahabad (now renamed Prayagraj) Railway Station in 1877. The company started with publishing a series of booklets known as the Indian Railway Library.
The Banerjees took over the company in 1950. By 2004, it had bookstores at 258 railway stations all over India.
Higgin Bothams was the largest chain of Railway Station bookstores in South India. In Kerala we had the Mathrubhumi bookstalls.
Sadly, today the book stalls have been converted into “multi purpose stalls”, reflecting the changes in the reading habits of the passengers. Who would have thought, even 20 years ago, that drinking water, rather than books and periodicals would become the most saleable item during train journeys.
– Joy Kallivayalil.
