Bengaluru rallies to aid Bookworm store after rain, hailstorm damages 5,000 books

CHENNAI: Students, regular customers and fellow booksellers came together to help salvage books at The Bookworm, responding either unannounced or to the store’s now-viral post featuring visuals of the flooding, after nearly 5,000 books worth over Rs 14 lakh were damaged.

The visuals from the Church Street store left many heartbroken, as a hailstorm flooded the premises on Wednesday evening (April 29), soaking shelves and ruining thousands of books.

Proprietor Krishna said the shop was inundated as hailstones piled up and blocked drainage. Located at the bottom of an inclined driveway, the store typically avoids flooding as water drains quickly, but the sheer volume of hail slowed the runoff, according to media reports.

Pedestrians along MG Road and Church Street scrambled for shelter as hailstones battered the streets and accumulated along the sides.

In response, The Bookworm shared a post online that quickly went viral. Readers across the city rallied in solidarity, offering help in any way possible. Many also took to social media to express support and urged others to visit the store and purchase books to aid its recovery.

In a subsequent statement, the bookstore said it was “overwhelmed, in the most grateful way” by the outpouring of support after the flooding damaged between 4,000 and 5,000 books. Clarifying that it is not undertaking any fundraising activity, the store said the best way to support them is by purchasing books or vouchers.

The bookstore has also shared a video on their Instagram showing several people stepping in at their hour of need, helping put books out to dry and sorting through water-damaged copies. Calling it “a glimpse of the power of community,” the team said it was deeply moved by the support.

Echoing the sentiment, Penguin India urged readers to support the store, noting that independent bookstores are “more than retail spaces — they are hubs for discovery, conversation and community,” and encouraged Bengaluru residents to visit Bookworm and buy books during this time.