SHILLONG: The Shillong Banking Corporation building has, over a century, earned a sobriquet that is more erudite than economic.
The building on the contiguous area of Khyndai Lad and Jail Road, facing a younger and disoriented structure of the MTC, is more popular by the name ‘Chapala Book Stall’, with the eponymous shop housed on the ground floor.
Built in 1901, the building has finally reached its sunset moment and surrendered its history and heritage to none other than economy, the contours of which are fast altering in the city. The 118-year-old structure has changed hands and is being demolished — it started about 10 days ago — probably to make way for a glitzier hub.
Buddhadeb Chaudhuri, the proprietor of Chapala Book Stall, which has a history of its own, is upset not only about this abrupt end to an eventful journey but also people’s disregard for heritage. The bookstore shifted to the building in 1940 from its original location near the Jail Road petrol pump. “My uncle, Bibhu Bhushan Chaudhari, used to look after the shop. I joined the book business in 1970,” said Chaudhuri, who was a student of engineering at Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
Earlier, the building housed only a few offices like those of LIC and Botanical Survey of India. “The State Library was also there, though I have not seen it. The MTC was not built then,” he told The Shillong Times.
In the recent time, the building housed hotels and a computer service centre, among others.
The building was in the name of Shillong Banking Corporation Tenants’ Association and now it has been purchased by Anderson.
Some of the tenants had moved the court last year against the purchase but Chaudhuri said he was not part of it.
The 73-year-old proprietor said he was prepared for the change after he heard “rumours” about the sale. “We will shift to our other shop in Keating Road,” he added.
Chapala, one of the oldest bookstores on Shillong, had been an intrinsic part of the city’s history. Chaudhuri remembered the visits of eminent people, like chief justices and governors, to the store, which has a publishing section too.
“This store was a landmark for many a rendezvous. It is disheartening to see how all the memories will crumble into a pile of debris. The century-old building is part of the city’s heritage and should have got the due respect,” he said.
