A first walk through Boi Para on College Street

College Street is known across Bengal as Boi Para, the book neighbourhood. For about a kilometre, from Bowbazar to Mahatma Gandhi Road, both sides of the street are lined with bookshops, publishers’ offices and hundreds of small stalls built into the walls of the university. For a first-time visitor it can be overwhelming, so here is a way to approach it.

Come on a weekday between 11 am and 2 pm, when the shops are all open and the evening crowd of students has not yet arrived. Sundays are quiet because most shops, including ours, are closed. Wear comfortable shoes, carry a cloth bag and bring cash for the stalls, though many now take UPI.

The pavement stalls near the university are best for second-hand textbooks, old magazines and the occasional surprise. Stall owners know their stock remarkably well, so instead of searching every pile, tell them what you are looking for. Prices are usually open to a little discussion. The lanes behind, around Bankim Chatterjee Street, have the Bengali publishers, where you can buy new editions directly.

When you need a break, the coffee house on the first floor of the old building near the corner has been a meeting place for students and writers for decades. Order a cold coffee and an omelette, and sit by the window. Then come and find us at number 41, near Presidency University. If you tell us what you have already found on the street, we are happy to suggest what to look for next.