“I feel certain I am going mad again. I feel we can’t go through another of those terrible times. And I shan’t recover this time. I begin to hear voices. And I can’t concentrate. So I am doing what seems the best thing to do.” wrote 

 in her suicide letter in the year 1941. People exclaimed, wondered, and still do, while reading her exceptionally placed works. Behind this exclamation and wonder is the assumption that an artist’s life is an artist’s work. It is the wonder of picking up “Room of one’s own” and comparing the ambition and optimism of the text with her personal life. This exclamation is no different as compared to when the scenes and dialogues from the films 

 has acted in are quoted as a tribute. The characters that he had played and what he himself was are two different things, and when the two are intermixed and one is seen as a consequence of the other, the larger picture of stigmatization around mental health and the failure of the public health system is ignored, or if talked about, does so ephemerally and gradually dies.

 died of suicide. The news channels started the “

” giving a panoramic view of his life starting from his birth. 

 stories were being put talking about how much 2020 sucks. Families under lockdown were wondering if his film career was going downhill. Some were blaming him for his death. Some were convincing themselves that they will never do it. Some were triggered by it, thinking they might be next. Bollywood actors were giving virtual condolences to his family. But in the midst of all this, there is an urgent need to reflect upon the mental health care system and its accessibility. Instances like these beg for an answer to a much wider question- How can the mental health sector of 

 become accessible to the larger population? What steps has the government taken to lessen the suicide rates?

 was passed on 7 April 2017 and came into force from July 7, 2018. The law was described in its opening paragraph as: 

“An Act to provide for mental healthcare and services for persons with mental illness and to protect, promote and fulfill the rights of such persons during delivery of mental healthcare and services and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

The rising suicide rates of students, farmers, workers in 

 speaks volumes of the hollowness of the 

. Students are pressurized into choosing canonical fields of study and unrealistic goals are set before them. They are urged to work harder and harder while the number of job vacancies suffer an extreme fall. Farmers die by suicide because they are under loans which the government does not waive, they die because of the circumstances that lead them to it. 

 is interconnected with other Ministries too. One Ministry has impact on another. Unfortunately, this interdependence is intentionally ignored. The mental impact of passing of a certain Act is not taken into account and therefore what happens inside the mind of a person becomes a “private affair” which cannot be gauged by others.

A problem of the “other” and is compared to having a weak constitution. All these stigmas should be addressed and resolved. They should be discussed and spoken of. We all grieve 

. Rightly so. We have to reason that grief and thus focus on the trail of collapsing structures which lead to many such deaths.

Mental Health: India’s Failure

 waits with patience for ardent readers to tread in softly and feast their eyes on its impeccable collection of books. It is one of the few independently-run bookstores in 

, there are some yellowed newspaper articles pinned, talking about the journey of this small space plucked out of a reader’s heaven. Upon entering one can spot a quote by 

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”

 in two small alleys. There are two book walls, a double-sided aisle and two rotating aisles to browse through. Every month, 

 hosts a new theme and curates books accordingly on the wall behind the counter. They started with 

, and so on, with the latest being the theme of creativity, showcasing a selection of books on art, music, and writing. On the counter the newcomers stand stacked one upon the other. Subtle and beautiful music can be heard playing in the background, usually Classical or Jazz. The resident cat 

, lying outstretched at another corner. The mirrored ceilings add a whimsical touch to the place and to your photo gallery, a few memorable pictures. One can feel a sense of lightness and serenity here, away from the hustle bustle of the city. The tranquil market of 

 is nestled, compliments its atmosphere perfectly.

Though the space is economical, yet the collection is refined and it seems as if every book has been picked out and arranged with a lot of discussion and meditation. 

 manages to accommodate all of our favorites. There’s a section exclusively of poetry – 

 resting on it. It is a sheer delight to be among knowledgeable booksellers, to be assisted by people who share your love of books. Whether it be the ever graceful 

, one can always expect to have a warm conversation about books with them along with a recommendation (or two) thrown in.

Among non-fiction, you will find books of 

, all the ones you’ve always wanted to read. It has books on travel, a striking collection of graphic novels, a pretty wide aisle of detective fiction, 

, new arrivals, and beautiful editions hunted down for customers to moon over. On top of it, the 

 recommends and suggests books through its 

 , and keeps the readers updated on new arrivals and discounts. Workshops, meetups, and author interviews are held within 

 regularly. It is frequently visited by authors such as 

 branch (closed in 2006 due to a rental hike) hosted 

 gets decked with decorations, fairy lights, and a 

 tree made of books. The atmosphere turns enchanting one can sense the love and affection with which it was established in 1970 by the 

 (as he was fondly known as), but from what we’ve heard he was a man known for his extraordinary knowledge of literature, love for Jazz music, and above all, his gentleness. A gentleness which remains with 

 even today. We always find it tempting to order a book in a few clicks, to satisfy our after midnight craving of a book – the internet is very handy. But we leave the essence of buying books behind. In the age of e-books and e-commerce, the future of independent bookstores is dwindling. Independent bookstores of 

 have to share most of their time not among readers fishing their favorites from aisle to aisle, but among the empty silence of books. The many book recommendations that the bookshop owners used to give to the readers lie neglected in their hearts. Their welcoming warm smiles melt the worries away.

 this year, it continues to charm us with the intimacy and comfort it offers. In these dark and difficult days, we are sure many of you are seeking solace in reading. For now, we all have to survive on the lot of books we are left with. When the days of luxury will arrive again, and it will be considered routine again to walk on the roads of 

, we hope with all the reverence we have in our hearts for books, that the road from 

 will be first one you take. We ardently hope that this write-up adds a few more visitors to bookstores. We can almost imagine you coming out of the 

, your faces flushed with happiness and an armful of books hugging to yourself. To end, we would like to quote these heartfelt lines taken from the blog of 

Bookshops like ours are not competing with online sellers. We are here to sell books but we are also here for you to take a pause, a pause from the madness of life. When you walk through our doors, along with smell of books and the strains of music, you also get a whiff of nostalgia. There is the serendipity of finding a book which you weren’t looking for and a conversation you didn’t plan on. And yes books, always books.

Articles by Arifa Banu

Mental Health: India’s Failure

Remembrances of “The Bookshop”

Mental Health: India’s Failure

Remembrances of “The Bookshop”