Earthcare Books, located on Kolkata's Middleton Street, is known for its carefully curated stock of books on the environment with selected titles from a number of small, independent publishers, especially in the alternative sector. These are rarely found elsewhere under one roof.
When you walk in, you will be surrounded by the earthy warmth of the place. The red oxide floor, arched entranceways to different sections, and bamboo and rattan furniture all contribute to the space's cosy atmosphere. The simple white shelves here are stacked with books on history, philosophy, women, conservation, architecture, ecology, and nature, among other topics. Framed black-and-white images of Kolkata by Thomas Patrick Kiernan, who has been photographing the city since the 1990s, hang on the walls.
How It All Began
Earthcare Books was started by Bharat and Vinita Mansata. The couple have lived a life oriented towards conservation, sustainability and eco-consciousness long before they became a trendy topic.
"You could call us a curated bookstore. Vinita and I started it over 36 years ago to cater discerning readers," says Bharat. "Penguin was then celebrating its 50th anniversary. Rupa & Co was its leading distributor in Kolkata. Shri DK Mehra, its senior founder, unhesitatingly encouraged and supported us. He felt the city greatly needed bookstores run by people who themselves were avid readers."
They began with a "Penguin Book Fair," offering a wide range of Penguin and Pelican titles. "I remember Satyajit Ray dropping in and buying ‘The Book of Sand’ by Jorge Borges; and ‘The Tale of Genji’, translated from the Japanese classic. The encouraging launch emboldened us to start a permanent bookstore that still survives," says Bharat.
In 1988, Masanobu Fukuoka, the natural farming genius-sage, came to India to receive the Desikottam award from the country’s then Prime Minister. Following this, he visited Kolkata and spent several hours at the bookstore, where his immortal book, 'The One-Straw Revolution’ was an ‘underground best-seller.
"In 1989, we published ‘Ecological Vision’, our first title," says Vinita. "Since then, Earthcare Books has published several dozen more books. Today, it is a leading publisher and bookstore in the realm of environmental literature. It also offers a wide range of other books, including fiction, non-fiction and books for children, greatly appreciated by many readers."
Subject categories that remain in steady demand with them include sustainable alternatives, education, health, gender studies, religion and spirituality, critiques of modern development, tribal issues, and books on the Gandhian vision.
Earthcare has built a loyal following, including people from other countries who visit the city and drop in at the bookstore. They love the ambience, the personal touch, and the many interesting titles here that they almost never get to see elsewhere. Some of them buy stacks of books, encouraged by the affordable prices and the post-parcelling system they offer to any part of the world.
Bharat adds, "When a visitor tells us that Earthcare is the best bookstore they have ever visited, it is certainly most heartening!"
Staying Independent
Running an independent bookstore can be a struggle, and in recent years, many have shut down. "The Covid phase was particularly crippling," says Vinita. "While sales have again picked up, boosted by online orders, the retailing of books through brick and mortar bookstores remains a labour of love."
The footfall at Earthcare is still less than pre-Covid years, they say. But since they have become quite well known, especially for their environmental collection (also children’s books), the orders they get through their website, www.earthcarebooks.com, continue to rise steadily. Their own publications are doing quite well with several books seeing multiple reprints.
"A huge spinoff for us personally has been the many dear friends we have made through the bookstore. They don’t have to make a prior appointment to drop by! Of course, being conveniently located—just a two-minute walk from the Maidan Metro station—has helped," says Vinita.
An Earth-Friendly And Sustainable Life
Their environment-centric philosophy has also resulted in a regenerated, natural "forest farm"—Vanvadi—ideal to pick up lessons in biodiversity and sustainable living. Located in the Western Ghat mountain range's Sahyadri range foothills, the 65-acre site has a small organic farm, waterbodies, and over 90 percent tree cover. More than 120 traditionally beneficial plant species, including more than 50 different kinds of forest food, can be found there. Vanvadi serves as a lesson in forest regeneration and rainwater collection. Read more about the forest farm here.
Address: Earthcare Bookstore, 10, Middleton St, near Maidan, Park Street area, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071
Find more information about Earthcare and their collection on their website here.