I once lamented for the lack of libraries in my corner of the globe but then we do have a good thing and that is the Sunday Book Market of Daryaganj, New Delhi. It is a paradise for book lovers and mostly the books are second hand and dirt cheep. Back issues of magazines like Vogue jostle for space along with books on philosophy and everything in between. Bargaining is a sport and an art form here.
If you ask me for directions to the place, I will most certainly get you lost. But let me try. Go to the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi Railway Station and then from there take an auto or a rickshaw, and those good folks will drop you to the book market within no time.
My first stop was this shop where a sale was going on, I could pick up any book for Rupees 20 and we (H and I) took our time picking up quite a few. I am reading one of them, it is a travel book and soon I am going to curse it to no end on my blog.
These nice folks (sellers) were quite willing to get photographed and it was at their ‘shop’ I clicked the Maradona picture. I was seriously ticked off by my nephews for bringing only the picture home and not the book.
This kid and the young lad were manning the 20 rupees sale shop (the first picture) and they too happily let me take their photographs. I hope the kid goes to school on other days.
The third seller I photographed from a distance, without asking permission. I liked the way he has a chair of books! H is very patient when I use my camera. He leaves me alone and walks to the next shop and there he waits patiently for me. That way my nephews are slightly better, they only stand at a small distance and look the other way.
Yummy street food. I am very fond of jaleebies (sweets) but there were too many flies and I chickened out. I loved the arrangement and colors of the carrots and radishes too but refrained from eating.
We had started early and the place was not so crowded but by the time we had a quick bite in a restaurant and emerged, the place was crowded like anything.
Tu jahan jahan chalga mera saya sath hoga? Can we ever leave AC behind?
lol the last pic was a killer”khudi ko kar buland itna” is from a pakistani song I guess 😕 the street food pics were great ! 🙂
Bd, you know I am generally a timid person when it comes to taking photographs on the street for the fear of offending someone. But when I saw this book, I forgot my timidness and straight away clicked the picture. The stall owner was surprised but said nothing. I think it is a famous Urdu couplet (shayari) Khudi ko kar buland itna ke har taqder se pehle Khuda bande se ye poche bata teri raza kia hai …
They’re no pleasure in life more then turning their crumply, crisp, chlorine free brown pages on a Sunday afternoon.This is great. There is no point being timid, people on the contrary like being the object of a camera and what they especially like the is the digital review function many of the digital cameras have these days.
Yes, I am waiting for the Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately this Saturday is working for me.I guess kids demand to see their photos immediately on my camera and in hills even grown ups do. I will keep your words in my mind. Next week I am travelling out of Delhi.
That book market looks like a dream! In America it seems that libraries are also on the decline, but they really are great places for having a wide array of free reading materials, and I use to hang out and read back issues of magazines at the library.
We have a similar book market here in hyderabad, but it has been so long since I have been there. This post reminds me of what I have been missing out on :).
Hey Mridula,The next time you go to Darya Ganj book market, just cut into one of the galis( i don’t remember which one). There’s this guy who makes amazing bread pakoras…lovely!! And there’s another guy on the main road(shoot!! I forgot the shop name!)who makes excellent rabdi falooda!!..yum yum…amazing stuff..get your books, get tired and hungry..eat amazing stuff in darya ganj!!come back home and realize that you have spent more money on eating stuff than on books!
Hi Mridula,There seems to be something strange going on with your site. I wish I would have known about this book market when I was in Delhi; I would have loaded up with books.While I was at the beach I read that book you had on here earlier: “Holy Cow.” I kept wondering what had happened to all the mangy monkeys and rabid dogs she kept talking about and I never saw. It seemed like the book was just an exaggerated version of all the worst cliches about India. I’m glad I didn’t read it before I went there!
Venkat, thanks for being so helpful and telling the exact locations of good street food 🙂 I will keep this in mind on my next visit.Lily, so you are back safely? I know sometimes the photos do not load on my site and all that. I am waiting for your reports. And thanks a lot for saying that you found the book cliched.
I’m back home now. I just put up a new post about the last week of our trip. It’s actually 4:30 a.m here, but I haven’t been able to sleep at a normal time since I got home.And, you’re welcome. I got really tired of the phrase red-arsed mangy monkey.
Oh i’ve been there so many times on sundayand simply love the place.
Vj, I agree, the place is charming.
hey, nice photo essay…i have to shoot the same locale as part of my work tomorrow actually…could u give me any pointers, do give them fast tho’ because i have to shoot tomorrow for sure.thanks,sibi
Hi Sibi,I guess you will have a wonderful time shooting there. Do share your pictures on your blog.I am an amature and all I can say is that the place becomes very crowded as the day progresses with a lot of shoulders rubbing. So you may like to time your assignment accordingly. If you have any specific questions, send them my way. I will try to respond as quickly as possible.