Earthcare Books Kolkata by Patrichia Dcruze

 How often do we visit places that are lesser known? Not much right?

Well, I often do, only to explore the unexplored and to understand the missed. To my surprise, I always come back with newer visions and inspiration.

Similarly my visit to the Earthcare bookstore left me spellbound. Talking to Vinita Mansata while sipping her favourite caffe mocha, the owner of earthcare bookstore, widened my horizons on how our efforts to understand ourselves and our surroundings can be the source of creating a better space for our future generations.

Bharat Mansata & Vinita Mansata, owner of Earthcare Bookstore

We were rooted in a deep chat where Mrs Mansata gave a detailed account of how she started questioning suggestions and opinions, about people from whom she learnt about forest regeneration, the starting of a Vanvadi, the birth of Earthcare Bookstore, the activities that used to take place and about the books that you will find at the store.

The idea behind having this homely abode was to have a place where new ideas emerge, where people meet, where best of books in various fields like Literature, Theatre, Cinema, Social Sciences, Humanities would be available. 

The idea to have Ecological books was not the uppermost then, it happened after a few years, in the late 80s and early 90s. Mrs Vinita and Mr Bharat began to read about the various issues that surrounded environmental issues and sustainable development. Reading widens your knowledge and clears your vision, so when Mr and Mrs Mansata were learning about these issues, they got very influenced and out of restlessness was born the desire to work on the lines of Ecological issues. 

It so happened that soon after her son was born she started asking questions on, “what does a human being really need?” “What does a child really need?” She was surrounded by various pieces of advice and perspectives on how to nurture a child and a lot of the medical advice given to her seemed irrational. Also the methods of teaching-learning didn't seem convincing . She took methods from the famous book “I’ll teach my Dog 100 words by Dr Seuss” to teach her son at home and did not sent to school until a certain age.

Winin Pereira, a writer who has written From Western Science to Liberation Technology (an Earthcare Publication) where he delivers a powerful critique of modern Western science and technology, suggesting that many traditional practices and values, which have sustained civilizations for centuries, offer essential guidance towards a more liberating and self-reliant system that fosters greater harmony. Mrs Vinita stated that he was very clear with his visions. He was the one to ignite the idea of the publication activity as he had a lot of materials on issues pertaining to the environment. 

So Mr and Mrs Mansata attended the Traditional Science Congress in December 1993, first TSC held in India in IIT Powai, the premiere technological institute of India. 

People's knowledge, their ways of organizing their lives, the technologies they use, and the knowledge systems they practice, all originate from the individuals themselves, not from large-scale businesses or sectors. This knowledge arises from day-to-day existence and practical experience, such as bone-setting, agriculture, and farming. Many traditional practitioners who are part of the Traditional Science Congress do not seek to sell or advertise their knowledge; they simply wish to share it. These insights were gathered and shared at the congress, with additional meetings held in Madras, Chennai, and Benaras.

We often tend to overlook the positive impact we create on others and wait for a little feedback from others to build the belief in ourselves. So when Global Parasite by Winin Pereira and Jeremy Seabrook (Statesman’s writer) was published, she received a handwritten letter from a person saying: “I always wonder what went wrong with Indian society, I understood after I read this book.”  Another reader said: “I will keep this book next to Marx’s Das Kapital.” These feedbacks acted as positive reinforcements and that's when she realised that the content was useful and they were doing that proved to be beneficial

That was when they decided to immerse themselves in land-based and solid-based activities. Initially, they intended to use their land for family farming. However, upon acquiring 65 acres, her husband suggested that instead of farming, they focus on forest regeneration. While city dwellers can harvest crops in 3 to 4 months, their work in forest regeneration takes years. This underscores the importance of preserving forests, yet sadly, deforestation continues at an alarming rate.

Mr Bharat used to take care of the place and she used to work from a garage of her Bombay flat. She relocated to Kolkata in the year 2000, when they built the bamboo house, beneath which resides the books on various topics of Ecological balance within the cosy walls of Earthcare Bookstore.

She wanted a workplace at home so that when her daughter comes back from school, she is there for her. So when she relocated to Kolkata and started staying there permanently, that’s when she started sourcing the books here in Kolkata, re-organised the place and now we know it as the Earthcare Bookstore. The forest regeneration work continues in Maharashtra at their Vanvadi.  

The Earthcare Bookstore also hosted a variety of activities, including drama, shadow puppetry, plays, storytelling, sessions with Jeremy Seabrook, and sessions with Ed John Fielder, the author of "Handbook of Nature Cure."

The books are sold organically at the bookstore, websites, distributors throughout PAN India, their own publishing, and various places in India.

A few books that you will find donning the shelves at Earthcare Bookstore are listed below: 

# The Vision of Natural farming: Bestseller by Mr Bharat

# Handbook of Natural Hygiene by Ed Dr John L Fielder

# Organic Revolution by Bharat Mansata

# Tending the Earth by Winin Pereira

# The Principles and Practice of Fasting by John L Fielder

# Wisdom from the Wilderness by Kashtakari Sanghatna, Pradip Prabhu, Shiraz Bulsara

# Calcutta Full Frame by Thomas Patrick Kiernan

# Health Care Earth Care by Prabha Krishnan

# Pregnant with Poison by Bharat Mansata

If you want to explore the entire collection then do visit the Earthcare Bookstore, 10 Middleton Street, Kolkata 700071. Be ready to be surprised by not just an array of books but also some beautiful black and white pictures of CALCUTTA. Do not miss out on exploring the notebooks made of handmade paper, the artistic pencils with animal toppers, the lattoo, the hand mirror, the kaleidoscope, toys that take us back to our childhood. 

To read more blog posts and be a part of our Readings (online and in-person) at Kolkata and Hyderabad, email us at lampshadewriters@gmail.com or follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/lampshadewriters to stay updated. 

Store Timings: Monday to Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm

Google map link: https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir//Earthcare+bookstore