R.K. Alwar, the man who has been selling old books on Luz platform in Mylapore for several decades, is no more. He died on Friday after being bed-ridden for years. Hailing from Villupuram district, he came to the city when he was 15 and set up the shop, that also served as his home for a long time.

Marvellous collection

Though not literate, he would recall and reel out names of authors and books book aficionados wanted. “It was only a shack and books would be stacked haphazardly. But the old man with the beard, as we knew him, had a marvellous collection of books,” recalled R. Nethra, who used to buy books from him.

P. Nandakumar, his son-in-law, said he and his wife Ammu were taking care of Mr. Alwar. “His bookshop was his home and only when his daughters were married off, did he and his wife move to a rented house,” he said. Alwar used to buy books that came his way and re-sell them. “There wasn’t much money. But he loved the books,” recalled Mr. Nandakumar, whose wife and three sisters now run the shop. Years ago, the bookseller had a tiff with the Corporation, when officials tried to shift his shop. After his customers protested, he was allowed to continue.