A bookstore in Jayanagar called Total Kannada has introduced what it calls the EWI (estimated weekly instalment) policy for its customers’.
You can place orders through their website, SMS, WhatsApp or over the phone. If your bill is Rs 5,000 or above, you can opt for EWI, which means that you pay a small amount every week for a month. Payment options like Google pay, PayTM, check or cash is available. Within a week of this policy, around 15 people have already opted for this.
Apart from books, they have audio, video and animated CD versions of the books.
Books of every published Kannada writer including Kuvempu and Tejaswi is available here. They also have a section for the upcoming writers like Vasudendhra and Dr K N Ganeshayya.
V Laksmikanth, proprietor of the store, started this concept when he was in the US. When demand grew for it in Bengaluru, he shifted base in 2006 and has been delivering books all over the world since then. He now has regular customers in the UK, the US, Singapore, Australia and Dubai.
Though the store has only Kannada books, it also provides translations for those who don’t know the language. After obtaining copyrights from authors, Laksmikanth also makes audiobooks according to demand.
“If you go to any Kannada bookstore, of which there aren’t many nowadays, and ask for Kuvempu’s Malegalalli Madumagalu, you will only get the book. Here, we have the drama DVD, serial DVD and mp3 songs too,” he says.
It’s not just books that they have here. They also sell T-shirts, greeting cards, posters, flags, badges and more in Kannada.
“The customers are also given information about the book they are buying and other versions of it to enhance their reading experience,” he adds.
Total Kannada also has a mobile library called Sanchaari Malige. The van travels to areas like Vijayanagar, Nagarbhavi and 15 other places every week.