The final chapter of Delhi's famed Urdu book bazaar

Inside one of the oldest bookshops in Delhi's Urdu Bazaar, Rafiq Ahmad, a film critic and writer, is scrutinising the bookshelves for material to help with his next project. Ahmad often travels from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh to Urdu Bazaar in search of the books he needs.

- Saqib Manzoor

"I know this is the place where I can find any Urdu book from any era. Whenever I have to write anything, I come here for material. Currently, I am looking for books about Dilip Kumar, the renowned Bollywood actor," Ahmad said.

Once known as a literary hub for book lovers, poets, writers and calligraphers, the Urdu market, nestled among the old and narrow lanes of India's capital, is silently mourning its own slow death. About 40 years ago, there were 60 shops that sold Urdu novels and poetry books. Now only half a dozen survive. The rest have been transformed into eateries, clothing shops and guesthouses. The smell of kebabs and biryani has triumphed over the scent of ancient books.

Urdu Bazaar, also known as Kitab Ghar or Kitab Mandir, was established in 1920 and became a hub of Urdu printing, publishing and poetry.

Moin-Ud-Din, 45, owner of Kutub Khana Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu, sits in his shop brushing the dust off a poetry book and reminiscing about his childhood, when the lanes were filled with bookshops, readers and poets.

"I was born here beside these books," he said. "I started assisting my father when I was in seventh standard [grade]. But witnessing my cradle crumble shatters my heart."