Bazaar of endless stories: Delhi's iconic book market still thriving on passion and paper

New Indian Express

4 days ago

On a humid Sunday morning, where Delhi's sky hung in a delicate balance between glaring sunlight and the threat of rain, I found myself walking into a living archive — the legendary Sunday Book Bazaar of Daryaganj, now relocated to Mahila Haat, just outside Delhi Gate Metro Station, Gate No. 3, on Asaf Ali Road. For over five decades, this market has been a haven for readers, collectors, and wanderers of Old Delhi, running since 1964 and still standing — persistent and poetic, like the stories it holds.
The present-day bazaar houses over 230 booksellers, each one staking claim to a few square feet of literary chaos. Cardboard cartons overflow with books, plastic sheets shield hardcovers from the drizzle, and metal stands groan under the weight of second-hand classics. In an era dominated by algorithmic recommendations and glitzy bookstores, the Daryaganj Book Bazaar offers something refreshingly analog — here, it's your instinct, curiosity, and sharp eye that guide your hunt.
A Storied Legacy
Qamar Saeed, 62-year-old president of the Daryaganj Patri Sunday Book Bazaar Welfare Association, who has been selling books in the same market for 44 years, says, 'You will find the rarest of rare books in this market. Not just books, but old magazines that you'd find in huge libraries, Atlas books, discovery books which would cost Rs 5000-8000 in other bookshops, and books from the time of partition in Hindi, English, and even Urdu, all priced between Rs 500-700.'
'I was 18 when I decided to start selling books. My father worked with the Delhi Police CBI branch, and I studied at Daryaganj DAV School. One day, while buying vegetables, the seller tore a magazine to wrap the vegetables. That incident made me so upset that I promised myself I would sell books and magazines instead. That's how my journey began, and I've been here ever since, interacting with students and parents every day. I have witnessed Daryaganj change over the years,' he recalls, standing proudly in the same market that has witnessed his personal transformation.