The Treasure Trove of Shalimar - a little Book Shop

A piece of Daryaganj in Shalimar Bagh!

Modesty can be quite deceptive. The residents of Shalimar Bagh would tell you better. Nestled between the residential area and the market place of AL block, lies a modest little room, AL-85. Hanging on the front wall lays even a more modest board whispering the place’s credentials. But a step into that room and all one’s myth about modesty get shattered. For those walls house the Shakespeares, and the Miltons, and the Christies and Puzos. This is the treasure trove of Shalimar Bagh. This is ‘Bobby’s Old Library’, or ‘AL wali Books ki dukaan’, as the Shalimar Bagh people know it.

Started in 1984 by Bishendas in the parking of AL Market, this treasure trove is now owned by Mr. Bobby, a man in his 50s, who shifted it to its current location when he took over in 1998. Since then it has been drawing customers from not only Shalimar Bagh, but even from its nearby localities for it is one of its kind Bookstore in the region. New and old, fiction and non-fiction, classic and contemporary, all can be found here at unbelievably cheap prices. Every day barring Monday, in the window of 5p.m to 9p.m, 100s of books change hands in this little space. Many of these books find their way to the store from the Daryaganj book market, while many are donated by those moving to new places and with no place to keep them. Huge cache of books arrives in container from Mumbai even. Besides, the collection of Bishendas ji, Mr. Bobby tells us, has also been kept preserved.

Ask him about the changes in the business over the years, and he retorts, “Change? What Change? Readers were there 15 years ago too, and readers will be there 15 years later too. After all there are no better friends of man than books.” Although he later admits that Internet piracy has dented his business, “but not substantially”. The emphasis on inculcating reading habits in schools over the last few years has certainly helped his cause and profits. “Although its only Durjoy Duttas and Preeti Shenoys they still coming looking for” he informs with a smile. And its not just the students who don’t like exams, even Mr. Bobby doesn’t. He explains “That probably is the only time of the year when the sales dip a little, owing to students being busy in exams preparations. But the rise in sales in the subsequent holidays compensate for it though.” The smile returns.

But more than the teenagers, it’s the womenfolk of Shalimar Bagh who throng to this place every day. It’s their true treasure trove, where they come looking for an escape from the monotony of their household chores and don’t return disappointed. They don’t seek escape in self help books; rather look forward to enriching their lives with the thrills of Sidney Sheldon and Dan Brown, and the spice of Mills&Boons, as Mr. Bobby tells us. Their latest favorite is the Shiva trilogy, for it provides something unique by combining mythology with the contemporary setup. Novels which are soon to be made into movies see a meteoric rise in sales among women.

Being a voracious reader himself, Mr. Bobby’s sole motivation is to avail books to book lovers at affordable and reasonable prices.” The advent of T.V and internet has meant that people’s reading habits have taken a backseat, and that i believe, is a sad thing. You need to read well to grow in life. I try to provide people choices and reasonable prices.”

The last thing Mr Bobby is worried about are competitors. “My customers will always come back to me. Moreover, preserving old books is no kids play. Some of the novels here are more than 50 years old. But they can t be thrown away for no novel ever comes with an expiry date. And i know the business of preserving them.”  he says with a reassured smile on his face. Before taking my leave after a warm interaction, my eyes fall on the ‘Note’ on the hanging board, which politely asks to return M.B and Novels as soon as one can after reading. M.B means Mills & Boons? With a wink and a smile comes the reply, “Nothing sells like them, even now”