6 places to discover
Church Street is a prominent 750-metre commercial street in central Bengaluru, Karnataka, connecting Brigade Road to St. Mark's Road near MG Road. Known for its cobblestone pedestrian-friendly layout, it is a hub for bookstores, cafes, pubs, restaurants and street shopping. Named after St. Mark's Cathedral, the street blends colonial heritage with contemporary youth culture and hosts the pedestrian-focused Church Street First initiative on weekends.
Clunes is a historic gold-rush town in the Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, about 35 kilometres north of Ballarat. Established after Victoria's first recorded gold discovery in 1851, it retains an exceptionally intact 19th-century streetscape along Fraser Street. Known today as Australia's first internationally recognised Booktown, it hosts bookshops, heritage buildings, museums and film locations, offering a well-preserved example of Victorian colonial architecture and goldfields history.
College Street Book Market, also known as Boi Para, is a renowned street book market along College Street in central Kolkata, West Bengal. Stretching nearly a kilometre, it is considered one of the largest second-hand book markets in India and the world. Lined with small stalls and shops selling new, used, and rare books in multiple languages, it serves students, scholars, and collectors near the University of Calcutta and Presidency University.
Gita Press is a renowned publishing house located on Gita Press Road in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Established in 1923, it is the world's largest publisher of Hindu religious texts, including the Bhagavad Gita, Ramcharitmanas, Puranas and Upanishads. Known for its non-profit ethos and affordable books, it is notable for its distinctive architecture, marble entrance gate and the Leela Chitra Mandir art gallery.
Higginbothams Heritage Bookshop on Anna Salai (Mount Road) in Chennai is India's oldest bookshop, established in 1844 by Abel Joshua Higginbotham. Located in a heritage building in central Chennai, it is a landmark cultural and literary institution. Known for its extensive collection of books across genres, historic interiors, and continuous operation for over 180 years, it remains a prominent destination for readers and visitors.
Sri Ramakrishna Math in Mylapore, Chennai, is the first branch center of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda. Established in 1897 by Swami Ramakrishnananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, the Math features the Universal Temple dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna, a library, and serene gardens. It serves as a prominent center for spiritual practice, Vedanta study, and service activities in South India.