MG Road loses another landmark

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“Gangarams has been a constant milestone in my experience of Bangalore since I first came here. I shall miss it dearly.”

The words were written by Girish Karnad in the bookstore’s “final” guestbook. We use the word “final” because after four decades, Gangarams Book Bureau, which has been an institution for Bengaluru’s old timers, is closing its doors for good.

Books have always been in their blood, and it was Mr Atmaram and Mr Prakash Gangaram's grandfather who was the first in the family to open a bookstore, back in 1935. He was followed by his son who opened Gangarams Book Bureau on May 9, 1965, and since then the store had been a fixture for book lovers.

A constant stream of customers and patrons — from students to people who have been visiting the store for decades — trickle in to tell Mr Atmaram Gangaram how much the store meant to them.
The decision to bid the 40-year-old legacy goodbye boils down to good, prosaic business sense, for they don't want to get caught under the wheel of commerce, legacy or no legacy.

“Rentals have gone up 12 times,” says Mr Atmaram. “It just doesn’t make sense anymore.” The hassle of finding parking space also added to the decision making process. “There are offices in the vicinity and their employees park on MG Road by 8am. It’s ruined business for us.”

For all those who loved to potter around on the stationery floor, Gangarams is going to be missed. Every purchase made in the final few weeks came with a nostalgic little sticker that reads “My last purchase at Gangarams.”

“Stationery takes up far too much space and it’s only economical if you’re paying a rent of Rs 10 per square foot,” adds Mr Atmaram. And Rs 10 is a far cry from the rent they’re paying at the moment, which is Rs 25 per square foot.

The books section, run by Mr Atmaram's brother, Mr Prakash will remain open for the next two months. And if all goes according to plan, they will relocate above Koshy’s on St. Mark's Road by the first week of June.

“The building is being done up because it’s not strong enough to support a bookstore,” says Mr Atmaram, thinking back to the disaster in 1983, when the eight-storey building collapsed on the fourth day of its completion, claiming the lives of 125 people, including that of his eldest brother, Devi Prasad.

The change, however, comes with its perks. “The Church has given us permission to park, so customers can come to the store at leisure.”

Skimming through the guestbook puts the store’s worth in perspective. “It’s synonymous with Bangalore,” “This is the loss of an institution! My favourite escape in Bangalore,” and even just “Please don’t go” have been scribbled across the pages by sentimental customers.

“For me, the decision was made when Girish Karnad walked in and made the first entry in the guestbook,” says Mr Atmaram. “We could have continued for another two months, but at that moment, I wanted to close. It seemed a good way to wind down the legacy.”

Hello, Goodbye

The books section at Gangarams, run by Mr Prakash Gangaram will be open for the next two months. They plan to relocate above Koshy’s on St. Mark’s Road by the first week of June.