Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

A haven for bibliophiles

PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

For the best pick: The Sunday pavement book bazaar at Abids continues to attract booklovers despite the big outlets in Hyderabad. —

HYDERABAD: Come Sundays and it’s a different charm that unfolds on the pavements of Abids. Despite the coming of several plush stores offering the best of literary works, these dusty footpaths remain a favoured haunt for book lovers of the city.

For young readers taking their first step into the world of words to those who cannot go to sleep without reading a few pages, the place caters to every age group. Whether it is an alphabet book or subjects such as philosophy or psychology, many throng to this commercial hub to browse for titles of their choice.

Dan Brown’s works sit snugly alongside those of Leon Uris. Paulo Coelho’s ‘Brida’ is placed next to Ayn Rand’s ‘The Fountainhead’. Latest fashion magazines are lined up with those on interiors and etiquette. Jughead looks his usual self on a cover, while Katrina Kaif strikes a pose on the cover of a film magazine.

For many book lovers, it is a ritual that they hardly are comfortable at missing on any given Sunday. From morning as the sellers start unpacking to the setting of dusk when the treasure troves are packed back, there is a continuous stream flipping through, bargaining and picking their choice.

“I don’t remember many Sundays that I missed coming here in the last 14 years and I built a library of my own with best titles from here,” says J.Manohar, an engineer while indulging in a hard bargain for Len Deighton’s ‘Spy Hook’.

The book sellers too have a pulse on the reading habits and aware of what are the popular titles doing the rounds. They surprise with their grasp about the authors and titles. Even as one is checking for a title by Alistair MacLean, the boy brings two more of his works.

“Paulo ke kitab jyada bikre saab. Aap padey kya,” asks Sarwar holding a few titles. When a buyer tries to bargain, he retorts that the book is an original print.

“Pirated nahin hai woh,” he says refusing to bring down the price.

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