I was in Pune recently and visiting a bookstore was one of the top things on my mind. After searching online, I selected a bookstore based on its proximity to my hotel and reviews. Shabda Books and Library in Pune is a small bookstore that is worth a visit.

Shabda Books and Library

This tiny bookstore looks tasteful from the outside and is full of surprises from the inside. Because when you enter it, you’ll really see how tiny it is, almost the size of an office cubicle. The other surprise is the book titles and authors that line the shelves, you probably might have never heard of them before. I know this sounds bad but actually isn’t. The never been heard of before titles appear as great books that are yet to find fandom. I picked two such books whose gist and starting lines suggested they were going to be great reads.

I chose this bookstore over other popular bookstores in Pune because I found its name interesting and its reviews were very encouraging, which wasn’t the case with the others. Shabda Books and Library is a great name but I don’t know why the word Library is there as there’s no physical reading and lending place inside.

The owners of the bookstore were very helpful. One of them brought down the entire Hindi books collection from an upper shelf for me to look through them easily. I also got a discount, though not a great one, but still it was nice as many bookstores offer zero discounts. The owner also asked me if I wanted to request some books. And the best part- a big bookmark was placed on top of the books after payment.

Why are There No Pics of the Bookstore in this Post?

I was looking through the books and then I realised I need to click photos for my blog. But this didn’t mean I immediately opened the camera on my phone and went click, click, click. I will admit this, I felt shy clicking photos of the bookstore from inside. It was so small and the owners and the desk person were all within arm’s length, watching my every move. What if they threw me out for taking pictures of their beloved bookstore? I have this weird phobia but never mind. That’s why I like to have my sister around with me on such trips where I can hand over the job of clicking pictures to her while I enjoy my book shopping freely.

But I managed to click two pictures of the store from the outside. After exiting, I was looking for a café nearby and, in my search, I passed the bookstore several times and hastily clicked the pictures.

Book Collection

As mentioned, this is a unique bookstore owing to its book collection being quite distinct. You won’t find such books in many places. So for those who are tired of looking at the covers of It Ends and Starts with Us, the Harry Potter and Ram Chandra series every time they visit a bookstore or stall, must visit this bookshop. Here, chances are you might find books you haven’t been able to find elsewhere (except online stores). It has some popular titles too but they are very limited. Most of its shelves are filled with works by unknown authors. You can find books in Hindi, Marathi, and English here. I made this bookstore 4 books less.

My Picks

So here are the books I bought from this bookstore in Pune. Two were of Premchand and two were from unknown authors. Even the books of Premchand were a collection of stories I was new to.

1.प्रेमचंद की दुर्लभ कहानियां
2. नमक का दारोगा व अन्य कहानियां by प्रेमचंद
3. One Precious Moment by Ritu Kakar
4. Missing by Nivedha Srinivasan

The Cost of the Books

The books are costly because they are sold at their MRP. But if you buy more than 2 books, you get them at a discount. Since I bought four books, I got them at a discounted rate. The total came to Rs. 680 which was originally 740. Yes, I know not a great discount but given the rarity of the books, I think the bookstore deserves the price it sells at.

Overall Experience

Beautiful! I was so happy I chose this place instead of the more popular bookstores in Pune. It was small, it was not crowded at all, and the books I got made me feel like I have made a priceless purchase. A great overall experience. I might revisit this one if I go to the city again.

Don’t forget to visit this cute, beautiful, and rare bookstore when in Pune.

Shabda Books and Library
Shop no-4, Sopandev Building, opp. Sonigara Landmark, Kaspate Wasti, Wakad, Pune, Maharashtra 411057.

Instagram Handle– https://www.instagram.com/shabdaforyou/?hl=en

After this…..

After my fulfilling visit to the bookstore in Pune, I was hungry for some light snacks and a hot beverage. So I headed to a café which is just 1 minute away from the bookstore. It is called Mystic Café. The seating is upstairs and looks like this.

It’s a stylish and cozy space filled with fancy lights, plants, wall décor, and furniture. I was surprised to also find a corner with shelves dedicated to books and games.

I have taken more photos of the café than the bookstore, that is because there was no one there except me at that time. I went on a weekday, you see. So happy me clicked as much as she could.

What I Ordered

It’s a café and so the options were the usuals – burgers, sandwiches, pizzas… I was hungry but not that hungry so I went for garlic bread and tea. The quantity of both tea and garlic bread was good. The taste of the garlic bread was not that great, but the tea was nice. All in all, I had a satisfying fill here.

Mystic Café
B 06, Sonigara Landmark, Near New Punjab National Bank Chhatrapati Chowk, Chhatrapati, Waghmare Rd, Wakad, Pune, Maharashtra 411057.

PS. Don’t judge this post by its photos. The person who has taken them is no expert. 🙈