Clinking utensils, the light brewing of tea, and the energetic chatter of individuals eagerly awaiting their meals create a vibrant atmosphere inside the eatery. Usually, the complete area is imbued with the tantalising aroma of scrumptious meals being ready within the kitchen. Nevertheless, this pleasant scent typically goes unnoticed by prospects whose noses are sometimes buried within the books they’re studying.

With essentially the most cheerful and wrinkly smile, 74-year-old Bhimabai Jondhale observes the complete commotion. “I really feel a way of delight once I watch all my prospects studying keenly, nearly forgetting what they have been right here for – meals,” she shares in a dialog with The Higher India.

Fondly generally known as Aaji, Bhimabai has been operating her e book restaurant, ‘Ajjichya Pustakancha Resort‘ (Grandmother’s Resort with Books), since 2010, serving not solely scrumptious meals but in addition providing free books to learn.

The place boasts a depository of over 5,000 books in three totally different languages — Marathi, Hindi, and English. Nevertheless, the origin story of this e book lodge will certainly soften your coronary heart!

For the timeless love for studying

If it’s your birthday or anniversary, you’re positive to not go away with out a free e book from Aaji Resort. Situated in Ozar, Nashik district, Bhimabai’s son helps her within the operations.

Whereas the lodge is perhaps flourishing with colors and ample seating areas at the moment, it was solely a makeshift spot for tea greater than a decade in the past.

“It was the one means for my mom to fill our stomachs. Whereas she is a constructive lady at the moment, she has had her fair proportion of struggles again within the day,” says Pravin Jondhale, Bhimabai’s son.

Recalling her adolescence, Bhimabai shares that she was merely at school 6 when she was married off and despatched to a small village close to Nashik.

“As a toddler, I used to be a really eager observer. I used to like studying, and books have been my greatest buddy. Nevertheless, once I obtained married, all the things modified,” she says.

Away from house and all the things she beloved, Bhimabai discovered herself alone, tending to a household.

“My husband was an alcoholic who spent most of his time wandering round. Not solely did I’ve to handle the house, but in addition the farms,” she says, including, “When my daughter grew to become slightly older, she would go to the farms with me.”

Along with her youngsters rising up, she needed to ship them to high school. “We have been all the time financially weak, however my husband’s dependancy made issues worse. He, in a state of intoxication, both offered off his land or gambled it away,” she says.

Left with out a means to feed her household, Bhimabai would work for hours in numerous folks’s fields to deliver meals to the desk. “I used to be fed up with the life we had. My son was going to high school and had picked up a newspaper distribution job to assist me,” she shares.

Pravin elaborates on his mom’s wrestle from his perspective, “All of the family members have been all the time making an attempt to have their means along with her. My father was a father solely in title. He by no means took any duties. Like my mom, I had a zeal to get an schooling. I obtained a job at a newspaper distributor and funded my schooling myself,” he says.

There was just one escape from the difficult life – transfer to town. “It was like a beacon of hope for us. I’d in all probability discover some work there, and my mom could be away from her family members. So, we determined to unload no matter was left of our land and moved to town,” he says.

In 2008, the household moved to town. Pravin had already began a publishing firm and days have been wanting higher.

“On account of some private causes, I needed to shut down the publishing firm, and we had a inventory of Marathi language books with us. My mom and sister didn’t know a lot past farming, in order that they began a makeshift tea stall to satisfy our bills,” he says.

No telephones, solely books! 

In 2010, Bhimabai, alongside along with her daughter, laid the muse of what’s at the moment Ajjichya Pustakancha Resort.

Whereas the household moved, the taunts and harsh phrases by no means stopped following her. “They’d speak about how the ladies of the home shouldn’t wander round promoting tea; she ought to handle the home. However I didn’t care about these taunts anymore,” she says.

“My youngsters and I slowly began to make use of financial savings to increase the tea stall and make it an eatery. What I seen was that whereas an individual would wait for his or her meals, they’d all the time be buried of their cellphone,” she says.

“They’d not converse with one another however would hold scrolling on their cellphone. I discovered the behavior very absurd and needed to do one thing about it,” she says.

As a girl who was keen on studying however by no means obtained the prospect to, she determined to reintroduce the behavior of studying to folks.

“Books are our greatest associates. They’re your companions in each scenario. We began off with simply 25 books in a stand within the eatery and it saved rising. We began encouraging folks to select up a e book and skim whereas we prepare dinner their meal,” she says.

“By the point the meals would arrive at their desk, they’d have already reached chapter two of the e book,” she provides.

Individuals began to understand her initiative and phrase unfold. The e book assortment which began with solely 25 books has now grown to 5,000 books.

“Along with books within the eatery, we additionally give free books on particular events corresponding to Ladies’s Day and Republic Day to provoke a behavior of studying amongst folks. We even have began giving books as presents to hospitals,” he says.

“For folks ready on the hospital for a beloved one or for their very own therapy, we hope our books will assist. My mom believes that medicines deal with your physique however books heal your soul,” he provides.

The eatery has additionally since saved on rising and other people have donated books to Aaji’s assortment.

She expresses, “I really feel delighted once I see folks studying books on the eatery. All my life, I’ve struggled to have a steady life, however what saved me going was my youngsters. For a lady who was all the time keen on studying however by no means obtained to, once I see younger youngsters come to the eatery and skim, I really feel like I’ve succeeded in my initiative,” she says.

When you’ve got spare books that you simply wish to donate to the eatery, you possibly can attain out to Pravin at 9922946622

(Edited by Padmashree Pande; All photos credit score: Pravin)