In the digital age of e-readers, if you enjoy flipping pages to uncover the story, then book street at Fort area is your escape. In the corner of the five-way intersection at the Flora fountain lies a street that has been dishing iconic reads for the past 60 years. Covered in blue plastic sheets are a series of ten book shops separated by books mounted as pillars. These shops are manned by seasoned booksellers who invite customers to a galore of enriching books.
Amongst the booksellers can be spotted Avadhesh Kumar Yadav at the first shop on the street, grinning sheepishly. At first glance, it appears to be an inside joke that has occupied his attention. But in essence, it’s his warmth that has masqueraded as glee. Hailing from Jaunpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh, he arrived in Mumbai in 1999 to seek employment. 

Fort in 2023 vs 1999
Back in the year 1999, Avadhesh found a job at a newspaper stall, located outside Citibank’s office on Dadabhai Naoroji Road. After working there for more than a decade, he went on to join ‘Friend’s Bookstall’ in 2012. He recalls the earlier days of the southern chunk of Mumbai when there was no ongoing metro construction, and the cityscape donned a wider skyline.