The Urdu Bazaar in Delhi, once vibrant with over 60 shops dedicated to Urdu literature, is facing decline as fewer bookshops survive, reduced to just six. Amid fast-food establishments and clothing stores, the literary atmosphere has shifted significantly. Rafiq Ahmad, a writer, honors the bazaar's legacy, traveling there to find research materials. Bookstore owner Moin-Ud-Din reflects on this loss with deep sorrow, linking the downturn to historic events like the 1947 partition and changes in consumer habits.
"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."
"I was born here beside these books... witnessing my cradle crumble shatters my heart."
"...the decline of Urdu Bazaar began during the partition of the country in 1947, and intensified in the 1980s and 1990s when fast-food restaurants..."
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