Kolkata is like an intellectual capital of India, and the College Street is perhaps one of the places to explore to indicate a special aspect of Kolkata’s intellectual face. Only local people generally frequent the numerous pavement book stalls and rarely people from outside would go there. The College Street is actually the outer wall of the Presidency College (of Kolkata) and rows and rows of book shops and book stalls are all around on the side of the wall facing the other side of the street where numerous elite book shops are located.

The beauty of the College Street’s pavement shops and smaller shops is that they have several collectors’ items tucked away inside the piles of the books. If you search a little, you may find a rare print of Shakespeare’s play or a Jane Austin’s rare edition at as little a price as US $ one. These shops do not stock the latest bestsellers; they specialize in the rare books, rare editions and rare prints. The College Street started with only two small book shops opened in 1874, the first one was opened by Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, the famous writer and social reformer of Bengal. During the next 100 years, by the 1990s, the number of book stalls and shops had increased to more than 100. Currently (2006) only 30 such shops remain, and several pavement stalls - but they have some of the rarest editions and prints. Once you have found a print of your choice you may enjoy the same with a cup of black coffee in coffee houses and being part of "India’s intellectual consciousness", a phrased often used to describe the Experience College Street.