Purushottama and Amido visit, or rather re-visit, a bookstore in Philadelphia
On a recent trip to Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, we stopped into Philly’s oldest New Age bookstore, The Garland of Letters.
A life-size statue of a lion bedecked with garlands of flowers sits between two display windows. The store has an atmosphere of calm, partly created by its incense-scented air, the tranquil music being played, the beautifully-arranged items, but mostly by the warm and friendly salesperson.
And… by four shelves, uniquely dedicated to Osho!
The Garland of Letters Bookstore was founded in 1972 by Dr Vijayendra Pratap, a renowned and well-respected yoga teacher. He gave the task of creating it to Candace Smith, one of his students. She devoted thirty-five years of her life to this undertaking. Prior to creating the shop, Candy, as she was more commonly known, had been a model and actress. “We always laughed how she would come to the studio looking like a flower child. Then about a half hour later would emerge as this glamorous model,” a former colleague wrote.
The store has books from diverse spiritual fields, music, Tarot cards, jewelry, a mesmerizing assortment of colorful stones, incense, statues of Buddha and Nataraj, some items of Tibetan Buddhist clothing, and many more metaphysical tools. It is a wonderful place to wander. A feast for the senses and nourishment for the spirit.
In 1981, when living at The Castle in New Jersey, Purushottama was asked to contact bookstores and set up contacts to sell Osho’s books. (This led to several years of traveling around the States and Canada contacting various bookstores and distributors.)
His first port of call outside the New York area was The Garland of Letters Bookstore in Philadelphia; and that’s when he first met Candy. The bookshop already had some of Osho’s books. Candy was very welcoming and supportive; and there was an immediate connection. That she immediately made a huge order was so encouraging, particularly in those early stages of his new job.
Over the years, Purushottama called in regularly to collect orders, and to visit Candy.
When in 2017 we stopped by the shop, we were hoping to see Candy. And there she was! We all went for a cup of tea. She shared many stories about the bookstore and was such a warm, loving, fascinating person. On that occasion we took the opportunity to buy an Osho book! …We later heard that Candy passed away in 2021.
On our recent visit, when we were just on our way out the door, Purushottama turned on his heel, went back inside, and asked the person behind the desk why there were so many books by Osho, compared to other authors. And whether Dr Pratap had a say in what books were ordered. The salesperson explained that yes, Dr Pratap had always encouraged them to order and display Osho’s books.
It seems that as long as The Garland of Letters continues to exist, Osho’s books will be available, supported and lovingly displayed in Philadelphia. For those who would like to order from the shop, it can be done by phone.
The Garland of Letters Bookstore
Phone: 215-923-5946.
Address: 527 South Street, Philadelphia PA 19147
Links
- Garland of Letters Bookstore, Philadelphia’s Oldest New Age Independent Bookstore
- Candace Smith (Candy)
- The founder, Dr. Vijayendra Pratap
Photographs by Purushottama
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