Akruti Books reopens in Basavanagudi with focus on progressive literature and cultural conversations 

The new store will focus on creating more space for progressive books, said its founder, Guru Prasad. “With the new store we are trying to put up books that are progressive in nature, anti-caste oriented and books that are mostly published by independent publishers who do not have a large distribution network. The new store will largely focus on this idea.”

Akruti Books has been a haven for the city’s book lovers, offering a curated collection of new and second-hand treasures in regional language and English. The bookstore and publisher has carved a niche as a cultural hub, regularly hosting literary events that bring readers and writers together. Previously situated in Rajajinagar, the bookstore has relocated to D.V.G. Road in Basavanagudi and has been open to the public from January 27.

The new store will focus on creating more space for progressive books, said its founder, Guru Prasad. “With the new store we are trying to put up books that are progressive in nature, anti-caste oriented and books that are mostly published by independent publishers who do not have a large distribution network. The new store will largely focus on this idea.”

As an inaugural event in the new venue, Akruti will on January 28 at 5 p.m. host a discussion on “The Sum of Equality: Kabir, Ambedkar and the Buddha.” There will be a discussion on the book The Notbook of Kabir: Thinner than Water, Fiercer than Fire by Anand, who will also sing composition of Kabir. In this musical exploration, Anand delves into how Kabir often interprets, reimagines, and circles back to the teachings of the Buddha and more.

The Notbook of Kabir, as the blurb of the book puts it, is “the story of how Anand loses himself trying to find Kabir. The book talks about how Kabir is the most alive of all dead poets. He is a fabric without stitches. No centres, no edges...”

Anand, editor and publisher at Navayana Tust, a publishing house in Delhi, has spent three decades studying anti-caste thoughts and the works of B. R. Ambedkar. Over the past seven years, he has been learning Dagarvani Dhrupad under Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar in Delhi. His journey with Ambedkar’s ideas led him to Kabir, and Kabir, in turn, inspired him to rediscover music after a self-imposed hiatus of 15 years. 

Followed by the musical discussion, Akruti Book will also host a conversation with political theorist and associate professor at National Law School of India University (NLS), Rinku Lamba, and historian, Chandrabhan Yadav, who is also an associate professor at NLS.