Comments on Travel Tales from India: Malls Malls Everywhere Not a Library to be Seen!

You have pointed out a very important thing that'a...

2005-10-03T15:11:00.000+05:30

You have pointed out a very important thing that'a amiss in our towns and cities. I spent close to 17 yrs in Gurgaon but never quite missed a library since our school had a gud one.. Later during my engg. in Jsr we had our own and a very good public libray maintained by TISCO. Now when I finish my MBA here.. I would surely face the same problem as u are facing.. *sigh*...

Thoughts, when faced with lack of resources, we ha...

2005-09-07T11:33:00.000+05:30

Thoughts, when faced with lack of resources, we have to trade books, it would be such a waste not to do so? That is what friends are for.

Tarun, there are so many other things that are not in my city, still, yeah jo desh hai mera... after all the country is still mine, with all its faults and treasures.

I can't think living in city without library....

2005-09-07T07:03:00.000+05:30

I can't think living in city without library....

a book person that i am ... hate the fact that fin...

2005-09-07T00:00:00.000+05:30

a book person that i am ... hate the fact that finding a decent library is such a daunting task in India.. One thing I liked about US is the public libraries ... they are FREE...you can take upto 50-75 books in one go ...and the books are in great condition.. !!! if you don'yt find a book in one library get it from the friends library !! great concept !

Pecos Blue, there are ready takers for them here, ...

2005-09-03T12:53:00.000+05:30

Pecos Blue, there are ready takers for them here, I guess we are the minority.

Poison, I wish we would build a few libraries and play grounds too.

the mall culture is pervading..they are really the...

2005-09-03T10:57:00.000+05:30

the mall culture is pervading..they are really the way of the future.

Wow I am sorry that these are being exported too. ...

2005-09-03T02:29:00.000+05:30

Wow I am sorry that these are being exported too. I think the markets are so much better.

Uma, I totally agree with you.Mustang that sounds ...

2005-09-02T17:39:00.000+05:30

Uma, I totally agree with you.

Mustang that sounds like a good idea. Om book shop in Metropolitan Mall experimented with chairs in the shop for a while but they have disappeared.

Emma, take your time, sort out things that need your attention and we will have our chat leisurely.

I agree with you - Malls seems to have indeed take...

2005-09-02T06:36:00.000+05:30

I agree with you - Malls seems to have indeed taken over Indian shopping culture. In Hyderabad, where I live, a new mall seems to be coming up every day. I was in the US for a couple of years, and one of the amazing things I discovered about this place was the public library culture. I would spend hours in the library and never realize time run by. Sadly, that is till missing in this country.

I am sorry I haven't been able to come by and reply to your notes as well. Just been too busy, and things on mind. I still have that mail to write to you, but have not been sitting on it because we want to do the Leh-Ladakh trip sometime next year. But I will definitely write soon.

Now that the mall culture is here to stay... I thi...

2005-09-02T00:01:00.000+05:30

Now that the mall culture is here to stay... I think the govt should have some stake with private companies (running these malls) to have say at least one library in every two malls they build. I've always had this belief tht there are enough policies out there, question is of proper implementation.

HI MRIDULA, U R RIGHTI STAY NEAR ANZAL PLAZA,....i...

2005-09-01T21:57:00.000+05:30

HI MRIDULA,
U R RIGHT
I STAY NEAR ANZAL PLAZA,....i DO -ONLY WINDOW SHOPPING....THINGS ARE SO COSTLY ...I FIND THE TRADTIONAL MARKETS SAY LAJPAT NAGAR AND SAROJINI MKT ARE STILL BETTER BET....
UMA

Thanks for sharing the photos! I doubt I'll ever g...

2005-09-01T21:09:00.000+05:30

Thanks for sharing the photos! I doubt I'll ever get there in person, so it's nice to be able to experience it through your eyes.

Ganga, that is so true of all the India.Lily I rea...

2005-09-01T20:41:00.000+05:30

Ganga, that is so true of all the India.

Lily I read anything that I can get. I like Calvin and Hobbes, I recently completed Love in Time of Cholera and just before that the latest Harry Potter. You can call me a scatter brain!

Avik, I thought Kolkatta still has a stronger tradition of reading or is it just a myth?

Tony, I went to your blog. So enjoy your cokking.

hey i just published my first Cook blog.. do visit...

2005-09-01T20:10:00.000+05:30

hey i just published my first Cook blog.. do visit

tonyskitchen.rediffblogs.com

its basically bachelor cooking

a great post indeed... here in Kolkata too u hardl...

2005-09-01T19:00:00.000+05:30

a great post indeed... here in Kolkata too u hardly find any library (besides the British Council)...

Well, I tried posting a comment earlier, but it di...

2005-09-01T11:46:00.000+05:30

Well, I tried posting a comment earlier, but it didn't show up. Hmmm. . .

I feel very fortunate to have such a nice library, especially in a town as small as the one I live in. I always get the urge when I walk in to start at one end and try to read every book on the shelves.

Mridula, what kinds of books do you like to read?

Mridula,I liked the idea of this post's title...ye...

2005-09-01T10:58:00.000+05:30

Mridula,
I liked the idea of this post's title...yeah..mall culture is growing rapidly...here,in Hyderabad too...
We can find a Mall in the vicinity...but hardly find a library...really a pity!
nice post...

Normies, there is a book shop called 'Om Book Shop...

2005-09-01T09:20:00.000+05:30

Normies, there is a book shop called 'Om Book Shop', and a decent one in one of the malls but severe lack of public libraries.

Yeah, I am not much of a Mall fan either. But, I n...

2005-09-01T04:29:00.000+05:30

Yeah, I am not much of a Mall fan either. But, I noticed most of the mnalls in my area have at last one book store in them. Barns N Noble is the hegmemonic one in my area.

Gulnaz, if we think about we will be hard pressed ...

2005-08-31T11:00:00.000+05:30

Gulnaz, if we think about we will be hard pressed to name any decent library apart from British Council and American ones. And thanks a lot for stopping by.

i dont like these malls too much either, to begin ...

2005-08-30T16:13:00.000+05:30

i dont like these malls too much either, to begin with they are all the same.
pity about the books, my city is worse than delhi in this respect.

Teri, when I was in college (and it was one of the...

2005-08-30T10:30:00.000+05:30

Teri, when I was in college (and it was one of the few colleges that has such facilities) I was used to swimming pools and other good facilities but now out of it I can hardly find anything that is reasonably priced.

Crystal, the mall phenomenon is comparatively new in India so they were not there when I was in my teens. But the outgrowing part, both of us have in common.

Mo, I too thought that the pictures do look like coming from anywhere. And as Deepak was saying the only worthwhile library, in Delhi region is the British Library and it is so far away from my home.

Pooja, sometimes I too dream of starting a library at a small scale. But till date, I have not gone beyond that stage. I will keep you in mind for books if I can ever do it :)

Lily, how I envy you for your good library!

I agree Deepak, and it is so far away from my home that going there is a project in itself. And after driving for five days a week to the office, both my husband and I do not feel like driving anymore.

But we buy a lot of books and have friends who read a lot. So, I borrow books too.

The only good library I found in Delhi was the Bri...

2005-08-30T08:48:00.000+05:30

The only good library I found in Delhi was the British library! Ironic, isnt it?

As a teenager my friends and I spent hours at the ...

2005-08-30T04:05:00.000+05:30

As a teenager my friends and I spent hours at the mall; it was a social center. Now I only go if there's something specific I need and get in and out as fast as possible.

Our town has a new library with comfy chairs in seating areas with lots of windows and plants. I would take the library over the mall any day!

That is so true Mridula. This is exactly what I fe...

2005-08-30T01:09:00.000+05:30

That is so true Mridula. This is exactly what I felt about Gurgaon when I visited last November. Crossing the road between Metropolitan and DT was a nightmare. Who came up with this idea of having 2 huge malls opposite each other with no crosspath ? Plus such narrow roads that the traffic is crazy. I am so not used to it - I had to hold my sister's hand everytime I wanted to cross. She stays in Gurgaon and hence is more accustomed to all this.

During our last visit, we (Sunit and I) actually thought that when we return to India, we will open a library. We hope to do it someday. There is so much need for it.

I think if the Govt. is not taking the initiative, it would be a nice cause (a continuing project) for some school or college to take up. I would gladly donate books etc. for such a project.