The other day I went to the Bras Basah complex. While the city is largely a mall town, there are a few of the old complexes still around, including at Chinatown. This one is given over to books, including second hand ones, so I thought I would saunter along. Not that I need anymore given 5 boxes of books are in storage at the moment....
The complex has several floors with a central atrium that is open to the elements. There are a few bookstores, some English, a large number Chinese. And there are specialised bookshops too-school books, medical books etc. And there are the art supply stores, the music stores. But little else. Something about it stirred some dim memory of childhood, I had a sense of deja vu but couldn't recollect a similar place. Was it in Delhi?
On the first floor there is a shop called Cat Socrates, named after the owner's cat. I have been to many a lovely knick-knack place but none as adorable as this shop. Partly I think because it's charm is not studied, you are just as likely to stumble upon a linen tunic as a hand made magazine.
The rest of it was good for a meander. There is a very good second hand bookshop which for some reason stocks even ordinary titles at higher prices. My new copy of The Makioka Sisters that I bought in Sydney was cheaper than a copy here. It didn't seem to be a rare or special edition too. There is a graphic book store. And three floors of Popular....er...the most popular, well at least, ubiquitous bookshop here. Several things struck me. One browsing shops is not as tiring as in a mall (and definitely not as disorienting) in this - I am guessing - 70s kind of layout. For one it is not closed, second the same handful of shops do not stare back at you. Though there is a food court adjacent to the complex, it is in fact refreshing to not stumble into cafes now and then (I reckon the first six months here even a non-foodie would be tempted to sample everything but post this food fatigue must set in in this town).
I did end up buying a few books, at 4 for 10$ it was hard to resist. And I am just finished with the first, At Fault. Its an e-book but I still prefer the dead tree version:) And I feel soothed when walking around bookshops, when I hold one in my hand.
Just a few minutes walk away there is the National Library. They had a few events on but I suspect the best of it is in the book collections itself. Perhaps some other day...
I more often than not end up taking photographs on my phone or a basic camera that I have and perhaps need a more sophisticated one, I have certainly been urged to. Initially I meant to photograph as many suburbs as possible. But it isn't always possible. For one, I find it difficult to take photographs here due to the light. In Sydney and Mumbai it is entirely different, here the humidity seems to provide a pervasive film through which one views the world. And if you simply want to photograph small moments, the moments are fleeting and serendipitous. Only once in a while does it all feel right. And on one day it was absolutely right. So next post on a day it poured and I went for a walk.
The complex has several floors with a central atrium that is open to the elements. There are a few bookstores, some English, a large number Chinese. And there are specialised bookshops too-school books, medical books etc. And there are the art supply stores, the music stores. But little else. Something about it stirred some dim memory of childhood, I had a sense of deja vu but couldn't recollect a similar place. Was it in Delhi?
On the first floor there is a shop called Cat Socrates, named after the owner's cat. I have been to many a lovely knick-knack place but none as adorable as this shop. Partly I think because it's charm is not studied, you are just as likely to stumble upon a linen tunic as a hand made magazine.
The rest of it was good for a meander. There is a very good second hand bookshop which for some reason stocks even ordinary titles at higher prices. My new copy of The Makioka Sisters that I bought in Sydney was cheaper than a copy here. It didn't seem to be a rare or special edition too. There is a graphic book store. And three floors of Popular....er...the most popular, well at least, ubiquitous bookshop here. Several things struck me. One browsing shops is not as tiring as in a mall (and definitely not as disorienting) in this - I am guessing - 70s kind of layout. For one it is not closed, second the same handful of shops do not stare back at you. Though there is a food court adjacent to the complex, it is in fact refreshing to not stumble into cafes now and then (I reckon the first six months here even a non-foodie would be tempted to sample everything but post this food fatigue must set in in this town).
I did end up buying a few books, at 4 for 10$ it was hard to resist. And I am just finished with the first, At Fault. Its an e-book but I still prefer the dead tree version:) And I feel soothed when walking around bookshops, when I hold one in my hand.
Just a few minutes walk away there is the National Library. They had a few events on but I suspect the best of it is in the book collections itself. Perhaps some other day...
I more often than not end up taking photographs on my phone or a basic camera that I have and perhaps need a more sophisticated one, I have certainly been urged to. Initially I meant to photograph as many suburbs as possible. But it isn't always possible. For one, I find it difficult to take photographs here due to the light. In Sydney and Mumbai it is entirely different, here the humidity seems to provide a pervasive film through which one views the world. And if you simply want to photograph small moments, the moments are fleeting and serendipitous. Only once in a while does it all feel right. And on one day it was absolutely right. So next post on a day it poured and I went for a walk.
Loved this! I lived several years in Singapore and have been back home in Delhi for over ten years and this brought on acute Singapore nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteThough I don't remember if Bras Basah complex was the same in those days. Knowing Singapore, it probably wasn't. One thing that doesn't seem to have changed is the 'ubiquitous Popular' and (thankfully!) the National Library and its network of branches. If only we had something like that in India.
I am glad it stirred up some happy memories!
DeleteThey did have a renovation in 2013. But the basic structure seems kind of the same i.e. it wasn't demolished to make a mall. I believe it was built in the 80s (not 70s as I thought) so some renovation was in order. And yes, the library network is great and seems to be well used too!
Its still a lovely city but the old parts suggest a kind of cosiness that is now absent.