THE BOOK LOVER'S NIRVANA

The first book stall just outside Delite Cinema

Hundreds of people squeezed up in the narrow alleys where one have to be careful of not stepping upon dogs, cow-dung, dead rats and pray for less traffic: You’ve to believe that you are in Old Delhi. Take exit from Delhi Gate metro station’s gate number 3 on the violet line and you will witness a madman book club of your dreams! More than 250 book sellers put up their stalls on the pavement along Netaji Subhash Marg and Asaf Ali Road starting from Daryaganj-Faiz Bazar crossing to Delite Cinema every Sunday.

For a book lover, one thing is persistent:  scavenging. They are ready to stop by every stall to get what he/she loves. Just like Puneet, a pharmaceutical professional in his 50s is coming to the market since 1990s. He said, “I use to come twice or thrice a month every Sunday and look for books of best authors before 20^th century that clicks me. Our Indian authors are still evolving. ”

Rishu’s book stall

Here, on the footpaths you will find Fiction, Non-Fiction, Autobiographies, NCERT school books, Medical, Non-Medical, encyclopedias, magazines, rough papers, registers, stationary and any other teaching thing you aspire for! Meanwhile, talk round the corner is about Chetan Bhagat losing popularity. A bookseller on condition of anonymity told, “Earlier Chetan Bhagat use to be the best seller. We use to lend extra stock from neighbor stalls to keep up with the demand. But now his books are no more popular only after his new book: Girl in Room 105 is out. It may be best seller online but not here on footpaths. We don’t know why!”

Just next to the famous Changezi Chicken Corner is Rishu’s stall who is selling books since 1992 after taking over his father’s work is confident that he’ll sell all “20 rupees” fiction by 3 pm. He has probably the biggest book stall here. You may have your favourite sellers, but Daryaganj’s Sunday book bazaar has much more to offer if your legs don’t give way easily!

Qamar Sayeed, president of 
welfare association

Moving towards Red Fort, just next to Golcha Cinema is sits Qamar Sayeed, who is the president of Darya Ganj Book Bazar Patri Welfare Association and is selling books since 1978 here. He talks about how the administration thrice tried to permanently close down the market in 2004, 2010 and now in 2018. “We are totally in support of closing the market before 26^th January and 15^th August for security reasons but now during this year’s republic day celebration followed by ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), they permanently removed 61 bookstalls beyond Golcha Cinema. Now we have total 271 stalls from Golcha Cinema to Delight Cinema”, he mentioned. 

Lashing out at the municipalities and police he added that, “They say its illegal and unauthorized. This market started in 1964 and unlike others where markets start when people with similar motives come together to sell things but here no one actually initiated. People from various backgrounds, some scholars brought their old books, publishers brought new books, daily wagers bought it from scrap and sold them here. ” 

Asha, the only woman bookseller

Asha, the cashier of the Welfare Association and probably the only woman among 271 booksellers is proudly selling books from last 20 years near Prabhat Prakashan bookshop on Asif Ali Road. She talked about the distinction that makes her stand special; being the best variety of rare books that are now out of print. Just after this I met, Shubham and Tanya, medical class fellows from Integrated Institute of Technology, Dwarka feels that the condition of books here should be clean. “We can buy same book at somewhat same price outside metro stations, clean and properly covered. Also, many sellers here refuse to sell in retail.” But Tanya has a tip for you: “Beware of the Pickpockets!”

Wanna be a book enthusiast like him?
You'll find many here! 

All images © 2018 Bhavey Nagpal