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Search for good books ends at Abids bazaar swear loyal customers
It is one stroll down, Tilak Road, that Ravi Vadlamudi does not miss on a Sunday morning Rain or sunshine, his date with the street is on For years, like him, there are scores of hardcore book lovers who make it a point to head to Abids in search of rare and old booksIn spite of the online onslaught, people still go to the book bazaar The number has dwindled but there are people who still sw
Hyderabad: It is one stroll down, Tilak Road, that Ravi Vadlamudi does not miss on a Sunday morning. Rain or sunshine, his date with the street is on. For years, like him, there are scores of hardcore book lovers who make it a point to head to Abids in search of rare and old books. In spite of the online onslaught, people still go to the book bazaar. The number has dwindled but there are people who still swear by the book bazaar.
Radhika, a housewife and resident of DD Colony says, “Tell me where else can you get a book for Rs 20. I like collecting books on gardening and have a shelf full of them, a majority of them from the Abids book bazaar.”The market continues to have all varieties of books, be it academics or novels, magazines or self-help books.The vendors blame the online shopping and the lack of interest of students besides TV and mobile phones for dwindling sales.
It has become very rare that one buys books out of curiosity. Book lovers evidently enjoy a book market when they are not looking for a particular one, but most of the customers today see the market as a last resort for academic books. “Since the rise in the number of online shopping sites there has been a huge impact in the market. Once a kilometer long market has been limited to a few corners,” says Anwar Shareef, a Sunday market book seller. Most of the market now is occupied by vendors who sell books.
One of the rare buyers at this market, K S Narsimha says, “I get books here which I cannot find online, also sometimes I do not comply with the prices on the shopping sites. This market has an ample variety at a negotiable price, so why not come here?”, explaining why he comes there every Sunday.
What is more, the book sellers tell you about authors such as Dan Brown, Ruskin Bond, Ayn Rand, Sri Sri, Dale Carnegie and others with ease and tell you whether they are in circulation. Meghna, a regular says, “Just by looking at you they know if you are a serious reader and also suggest titles.” I hope they continue to set up shop. If no one comes, at least, I will,” says Meghna.
-Shehzad Abwani
