Pilgrims Book House is a publishing and bookselling company founded in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1984. It formerly published books under the Book Faith India imprint and now publishes under the Pilgrims Publishing imprint. Pilgrims Book House is currently headquartered in Varanasi, India.
Pilgrims Book House sells and publishes books in a number of South Asian and Western languages. Its areas of speciality include:
- Buddhism
- Hinduism and yoga
- Mountaineering
- Reprints of classic books on India, Nepal, Tibet and Central Asia
- Languages (Nepali, Tibetan, Hindi)
- Children's books
Company history
Pilgrims Book House was established by Puspa and Rama Nand ("Rama") Tiwari in Kathmandu in 1984, succeeding the Tiwaris' earlier book business in Varanasi. In the year 1999 they started a branch in Varanasi, and in 2006 a second branch opened in Delhi.
For many years the main Pilgrims Book House bookshop branch in Kathmandu was located in Thamel. It was one of the largest bookshops in Asia with hundreds of thousands of books on display.[2][3][4] It was praised by several travel guidebooks[5] and websites (including by Lonely Planet who called it "Kathmandu's best bookstore").[6][7]
On 16 May 2013 the Thamel branch of Pilgrims Book House caught fire and almost everything inside was burnt to ashes.[8][9] [10] Since the fire Pilgrims has operated two bookshops, one at JP Road, Thamel, Kathmandu[11] and the other at Durgakund, Varanasi.
Pilgrims operates two websites, one for its bookstores and the other for its publishing division. The company also maintains a rare books department.
Publications
Pilgrims Book House has published more than 1700 books. These include:
- Paul Brunton, A Message from Arunachala, Pilgrims Publishing, 2009, ISBN 978-81-7769-785-8.
- W. Y. Evans-Wentz, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Pilgrims Publishing, 2010, ISBN 81-7769-099-X.
- Jim Goodman, Pokhara in the Shadow of the Annapurnas, Book Faith India, 1997, with photos by Galen Rowell and John Everingham, ISBN 974-89765-4-8.
- Eva Kipp, Bending Bamboo Changing Winds: Nepali Women Tell Their Life Stories, Pilgrims Publishing, 2006, ISBN 81-7769-451-0.
- B. P. Koirala, Faulty Glasses and Other Stories, Pilgrims Publishing, 2002, ISBN 81-7303-055-3.
- James Prinsep and O. P. Kejariwal, "Benares Illustrated" and "James Prinsep and Benares" , Pilgrims Publishing, 2009, ISBN 81-7769-400-6.
- A. P. Sinnett, Esoteric Buddhism, Pilgrims Publishing, 2002, ISBN 81-7769-432-4.
- J. R. Santiago, Kriya Yoga: The Science of Self-Realization, Book Faith India, 1999, ISBN 81-7303-184-3.
- Tania Sironic, Thangka Coloring Book. Pilgrims Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-81-7769-644-8.
- Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, The Lankavatara Sutra, Pilgrims Publishing, 2005, ISBN 81-7769-298-4.
- H. W. Tilman, Mount Everest 1938, Pilgrims Publishing, 2004,[12] ISBN 81-7769-175-9 (contains the infamous Appendix B on the Yeti).
- B. D. Tripathi, Sadhus of India, Pilgrims Publishing, 2004, ISBN 81-7769-631-9.
- Geert Verbeki, Bowls: An ABC. Pilgrims Publishing, 2005, ISBN 81-7769-223-2.
- David Paul Wagner, Hindi Phrasebook: A Pilgrims Key to Hindi, Pilgrims Publishing, 1999, ISBN 81-7769-222-4.
Book series
- Everest Series[12]
- Pilgrims Astrology Series[13]
- Pilgrims Colouring Book Series
- Pilgrims Folk Tales[14]
- Pilgrims Health Series[15]
- Pilgrims Pocket Series (AKA Pilgrims Pocket Classics)
- Pilgrims Quotation Series[16]
References
- ^ John Snyder, About Pilgrims, pilgrims.blog. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- ^ Augusto Villalon, "Fire destroys Pilgrims Book House in Kathmandu", Philippine Daily Inquirer, 22 September 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ Dannah Dennis, "The best bookshops in Kathmandu, Nepal", LSE Review of Books, London School of Economics and Political Science. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ Mark Horrell, "Farewell to the Pilgrim's Book House, Kathmandu", markhorrell.com, 22 May 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ Pico Iyer, Video Night in Kathmandu: And Other Reports from the Not-So-Far East, Random House, 1989, passim.
- ^ Pilgrims Book House, lonelyplanet.com. Retrieved on 3 June 2017.
- ^ Kathmandu Bookshop Disaster, tonywheeler.com.au. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- ^ John Child, "Pilgrims Book House Burns: Landmark Kathmandu Bookstore Completely Gutted", Friends in High Places, fihp.com. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ Rabi Thapa and Victoria Cotino, "Pilgrims Book House kathmandu", The BAR: Buenos Aires Review, 5 July 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ Shashank Shrestha, "After the Fire - Pilgrims Book House", 500px.com. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ Pilgrims Book House - Nepal, World Explorers Club, wexclub.com. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ a b Everest Series (Pilgrims Publishing) - Book Series List, publishinghistory.com. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
- ^ Practical Astrology, worldcat.org. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "Pilgrims Folk Tales" Varanasi, worldcat.org. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ Pilgrims Health Series Fasting, pilgrimsbooks.com. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Friends (Pilgrims Quotation Series), amazon.in. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
External links
- Pilgrims Book House - bookshop division website
- Pilgrims Publishing - publishing division website
- Jane and Michael Stern, "Nirvana Express", The New York Times, 19 February 2009 - mention of Rama Tiwari and Pilgrims Book House in review of Rory MacLean's Magic Bus: On the Hippie Trail From Istanbul to India
- Ramanand Tiwari, seopati. com - article (in Nepali) profiling Ramanand Tiwari, the Pilgrims Book House proprietor
- Tarquin Hall, "In search of paradise", New Statesman. 17 July 2006 - Rama Tiwari quoted on happiness
- Fire: Pilgrims Book House - 17 May 2013 - पिलग्रिम्स बुक हाउस ठमेल - ABC Hot News Express (Kathmandu) footage and interviews
- Fire at Thamel - video from night of 17 May 2013
- Pilgrims Book House: Largest Book Store Of Nepal - tour of the rebuilt bookstore, 2022
Recent Comments