Shimla Book Cafe Run By Prisoners

• Charu Chhitwal
• 23 Jul 2018
• Travel With Kids ,India

Life does give a second chance and this Shimla Book Cafe run by convicted criminals in picturesque Shimla confirms that.

For starters, I grew up in Shimla and have romanced the hills till I stepped out for my Masters. I have sweet memories of the capital of Himachal and always swore by the unassuming local population of my city. Beat this, the first murder that rocked the city was as recent as 1990’s. In fact, the larger population was unaware that we harbored a jail within the city in Kaithu. So little wonder then that this by and the large peaceful city has collectively given a second chance to its convicted prisoners.

                                       

Yes, an initiative by the Himachal government and tourism department has led to the new tourist attraction in Shimla - The Shimla Book Cafe run by the prisoners, right above the iconic Ridge. And this Monday we needed no more motivation than this.

The prisoners who have been trained by the city’s best hotel serve coffee and snacks to the visitors. The cafe also boasts of a beautiful collection of books to keep people engaged and coming back for more.

                               

The cafe that opened in 2017, initially had some reluctant visitors but has soon become a hit with students and tourists. It has become a rage on the social media because not every day does a person serving life sentence get a chance to step out of the prison, interact with the public and serve the society.

Yes, a second chance might seem impossible under certain circumstances but as Oprah Winfrey once said - “If you are still breathing, you have a second chance.” So make sure when you visit Shimla, India you give a hot cup of coffee at the Shimla Book Cafe a second chance too. 

                                       

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