In today’s age of Kindle and e-books, the excitement of visiting book fairs and public libraries is sadly wearing off. As someone who still likes the feeling of holding a physical copy, the smell of paper, and the delight to turn to a new page to unfold the story, it breaks my heart to see an empty library waiting for its visitors.
However, there are still some like me who prefer spending their weekends going to book readings and book markets.
Mayank Austen Soofi is one such Delhiite who is fond of collecting stories from the national capital. You can see him walking around the city with his camera and a notebook looking for untold stories and giving them a home on his website ‘The Delhi Walla’.
Recently, Mayank, a columnist and a published author, was at Delhiās Sunday Book Bazar and bought a book of selected poems by the famous poet T.S. Eliot. When he opened the second-hand book, he was delighted to see that it was heavily annotated by one Anjali Chand who studied at Delhi’s Miranda House back in 1974.
The book made him think of Anjali. Curious to see what she would be doing these days, Mayank decided to use the power of Twitter, hoping to get in touch with her.
Sharing pics of the old book, he tweeted:
“Hi Anjali Chand. I wonder where are you these days. I donāt know you, but that you were an English Lit student at Delhi Universityās Miranda House, ā74ā¦ today I picked up your heavily annotated Eliot from Delhiās Sunday Book Bazar, and brought it to its new home.”
Hi Anjali Chand. I wonder where are you these days. I donāt know you, but that you were an English Lit student at Delhi Universityās Miranda House, ā74ā¦ today I picked up your heavily annotated Eliot from Delhiās Sunday Book Bazar, and brought it to its new home. pic.twitter.com/tADfGBJlDb
— mayank austen soofi (@thedelhiwalla) May 21, 2023
And to his surprise, he did get a response from Anjali. On seeing Mayank’s tweet, a former banker Vivek Chand, who claims to be Anjali’s cousin, became the mediator and shared the pics and Mayank’s message with her.
Wow! This is a crazy coincidence. She is my first cousin and studied English at Miranda house at the time. Amazing. Will send her these pics!!
ā Vivek (@viv_chand) May 21, 2023
On seeing it, Anjali Chand who is now Anjali Grewal responded, “Crazy and amazing coincidence indeed. Decided after nearly half a century to go minimalist and was absolutely delighted that my book found such a loving home @thedelhiwalla.”
Here you go from Anjali Grewal nĆ©e Chand. āCrazy and Amazing Coincidence indeed !!
Decided after nearly half a century to go Minimalist…. and was Absolutely Delighted that my book found such a loving home @thedelhiwalla āā Vivek (@viv_chand) May 21, 2023
Mayank was overjoyed that his tweet reached Anjali and he got a reply from her via her relative, Vivek.
O My God! This afternoon I tweeted a heavily annotated Eliot belonging to certain Anjali Chand (Delhi University, 1974) that Iād picked up today from Sunday Book Bazarā¦ and hours later I get her reply through a tweet by her relative/friendā¦ see! Thanks, Vivek @viv_chand! pic.twitter.com/K0CfcqYOmT
— mayank austen soofi (@thedelhiwalla) May 21, 2023
Even though it wasn’t a direct conversation with the original book owner, the fact that Mayank and Anjali even exchanged words warmed many hearts. This incident also made many nostalgic.
You are welcome. Itās nice when Twitter does the good thing and brings people with something in common together.
ā Vivek (@viv_chand) May 21, 2023
This is making me nostalgic. She is my senior then. Same course same college but a decade + later. So glad that you got connected too. Exciting.
ā tikuli (@tikulli) May 21, 2023
How wonderful!!!!
ā Raj Shankar Ghosh (@LovingVaccines) May 22, 2023
why am i crying
ā early life crisis (@daaalchaawal) May 22, 2023
This is beautiful.
ā vrajesh hirjee (@vrajeshhirjee) May 21, 2023
this is actually so heartwarming š„ŗš
ā az ka (anti-hero) (@iwant2die__) May 21, 2023
This is so wholesome š
ā Nanuma Subba (@asewaro) May 22, 2023
Crazy isn’t it
ā Vaibhav (@vaibhav214321) May 21, 2023
I don’t know why I emotional feel after this.
ā Naveen (@Naveen31121317) May 21, 2023
It is so sweet to see the power of the internet being put to good use!