“Bookstores are lonely forts, spilling light onto the sidewalk. They civilize their neighborhoods.”
With all the bustling streets and its cacophony sometimes inordinate but sometimes in the sublime street with the unorthodox symphony, you see a place of respite; the Bookstore.
I consider book stores exotic and esoteric. I prefer giving the analogy of a telescope, as you use a telescope to discover the secrets of the universe, Bookstore is a telescope for literary discovery; the enchantment of discovering the writer and a book in a bookstore is an illuminating experience.
If you guys resonate with me on this experience, let’s dive into the bookstores you must visit in Kathmandu.
- Mandala Books
- Ekta Books
- Pilgrims Book House
- Ratna Books
- Patan Book Shop
Mandala Book point – The modern Bookstore
Imagine walking on the streets of Jamal and you are constantly distracted by deafening traffic, don’t you need a break? Well somewhere down the road you will stumble upon the Mandala Books on the Kantipath Road; your oasis.
The Mandala bookstore definitely is up on my list in the bookstores. You will find a wide range of books at the Mandala. The bookstore is not that big but you will be surprised with the repository of books you will find. Ranging from the classic to contemporary fiction, to adventure, to philosophy and religion to non-fiction genre, you find the greatest minds coalescing on the bookstore.
Further, if you are in Pokhara, you must visit the Mandala Bookstore in Pokhara. You will certainly love the place as you will see the glass display along the hallway with picturesque book covers on the display as you enter the bookstore. In addition, the interior of the bookstore is spacious and I was surprised by the sliding bookshelf, the ambiance overall was enthralling.
Ekta Books – The Publication Bookstore
Ekta books is another go-to location for the book lovers out there. Just opposite Norvic Hospital, you will see the building with the big Hoarding written as ‘Ekta Books’.
As Ekta is also a publication house, you can find a great range of academic as well as in-house publications of Nepali academic and Literature releases.
The Bookstore is quite spacious and the ground floor is segregated mostly for the literature, arts, adventure, fiction, and non-fiction. In addition, the shelves are segregated very well as you find the Nepali literature separated from foreign books. On top of that, other floors are segregated for the academic books ranging from primary to graduate level.
So, if you are searching for a bookstore for its wide range of books, Ekta Bookstore is your go-to place.
Pilgrims Book House – The spritual Bookstore
If you are into philosophy and religion, you must visit the Pilgrim Book house which is situated in Thamel.
Just don’t get confused by the name though, the Pilgrim Bookhouse has a wide range and genre of books. Notwithstanding, the name itself you can find popular genres like classics, Business and Politics, Psychology, Science fiction and Thriller, and so on.
And behold! The rare genre like Anthropology, Sociology, Cult, Mythology, Mysticism and the like are seen on the shelf which comes as a surprise.
Also, I found the history of the Pilgrim Book House quite intriguing. If you want to know more about its history follow this link.
Ratna Books – The classic Bookstore
Ratna Books is the oldest book shop in Nepal dated back to 1939 A.D. with its inception in a cart at Bhotahity. Currently, the bookstore is located at Bank Road, Bagbazaar.
Apart from being the iconic brand, the Ratna Books in its essence was in the heart of Renaissance in Nepali Literature as the writers like Lekhnath Poudel, Bal Krishna Sama, Siddicharan Shrestha, Karman Byathit, Bishweshwor Prasad Koirala, Lainsingh got the platform to publish their books through Ratna Pustak Bhandar.
If you want to know more about Ratna Bookstore’s history follow this link.
Fast-forward to the future, Ratna Book store is the must-go place for Nepali Literature geeks. Apart from a rich repository of Nepali literature, the Ratna Books is a publisher itself which publishes ranges of literature ranging from Child Literature to hardcore Nepali literature.
Apart from that, you can find common genres like classics, fiction and non-fiction, Satire/Humor, Self-help and spirituality, and so on at Ratna Bookstore.
Patan Book House – The Coolest Bookstore
You might be wondering, well if I am nearby Patan which bookstore shall I go to? Just chill, I have got you covered.
I recommend Patan Bookhouse for its location and ambiance; if you know iconic Patan Dhoka, Voila there you see the Patan Book House.
Though the bookstore looks old school, I don’t mind going there because at a glance considering the background of concrete structures is blurred; just on the corner of Patan Dhoka, the Patan Book House lays like a medieval piece of art.
Enough with the imagination, now let’s dive into the topic. The Patan Bookhouse in the essence has all the classic and contemporary bestsellers. Though the space is a little cramped, you will soon engage in exploring the store and probably find it engaging.
Well! As I said earlier, it’s a great feeling when you are in a bookstore that surprises you with a profound discovery? Go and visit Patan Book House, you won’t regret it.