Bengaluru Rain: Netizens Floats 'Wet Book Fair' Idea as Soiled Books Become the Talk of the Town
After Bengaluru rains hit Bookworm on Church Street, a "Wet Book Fair" idea goes viral to save thousands of soiled books. Here is how the community is helping.
A famous bookstore in the tech-city of Bengaluru has lost thousands of books following heavy rainfall that caused severe flooding across the city on Wednesday. The floodwater submerged a large area of the shop. Bookworm, situated on the well-known Church Street, shared images of the store inundated with water, alongside photos of a hailstorm covering the ground outside. According to the proprietor, the shop has lost approximately 4,000 to 5,000 books in the deluge.
Extra Stock Leads to Heavier Losses
With summer holidays around the corner, the bookstore had recently bolstered its inventory. Bookworm's proprietor, Krishna, told the Deccan Herald that the shop increased its stock specifically to meet the seasonal surge in business. Tragically, many of the books damaged were from this fresh, new stock.
Krishna mentioned that they will attempt to salvage some of the books by sun-drying them and selling them at a discounted price. However, a significant portion of the collection is so badly damaged that it cannot be saved. He pointed to modern publishing practices as a primary reason for the extent of the loss, claiming that many newer publishers use recycled paper of lower quality, which offers little resistance against water damage. Even certain illustrated works, such as Asterix and Obelix, were printed on paper types that lacked the durability to withstand the soaking.
Community Solidarity and the 'Wet Book Fair'
The photographs posted on the bookstore's Instagram page garnered immense sympathy, with followers offering support and sorrow. In the comments, many urged the reading community to help by purchasing books from Bookworm.
One notable suggestion reminded followers of a public event in Kolkata known as a "Wet Book Fair." That event drew large crowds who bought flood-damaged books to show solidarity with struggling sellers. Inspired by this, many others expressed a willingness to buy the soiled books regardless of their condition, eager to contribute to the recovery of a bookstore that serves so many people in the city.
Published By : Garvit Parashar
Published On: 30 April 2026 at 19:57 IST