The greatest bookstore

Here is the post that inspired me to write this: Tilotamma's blog

For two years, I lived in Luz corner in Mylapore, a block away from the beautiful Luz Church. In the sidewalk opposite my apartment, there was a huge used books "shop" - there were no walls, no billing counters - just mountains of books on the sidewalk, guarded by old pieces of plastic sheets (luckily for the books, it almost never rains in Madras!)

For a long time, in all my ignorance, I thought of it as just a big dump. When I started college, I heard people mention a famous used books store in Mylapore. I realized that it was Azhwar kadai, the "dump" opposite my apartment. I was still sceptical, but I went there anyway to get an engineering book.

I tried to find the store owner. There was an elderly man sitting on an old chair. He had a long white flowing beard, and was wearing an old white veshti. At first I ignored him, looking for someone else (ignorant me). He finally offered to help me. Turns out, he was Azhwar himself. I reeled out the name of the book, and he gave me a choice of two different authors for that subject. I was absolutely shocked.

The book was not for any popular beginner's engineering subject. It was for a course that few people take (in production engineering). If he could immediately recognize the name of the book, and list all the authors in that subject, he HAD to be the greatest librarian. He did not need any dewey decimal system - he just disappeared into the book pile for a few minutes and found it.

I saved Rs 350 that day (by not buying a new book) and had a profoundly humbling experience. How quick was I to dismiss someone just because his appearance did not fit into the narrow definitions of what we generally think is sophisticated?

There are many stories about all the rare books that can be miraculously found in Azhwar kadai. It is truly a Madras treasure. I just hope that the Madras Corporation does not do away with this gem in an attempt to "beautify" the city.