Ansari Road is second home for bookworms

Behind the busy lane of Darya Ganj’s main road lies a place which can be aptly called a heaven for book lovers.

The old shaky buildings from exterior give way to the air conditioned interiors with shiny furniture that makes it hard to believe that the road is a thriving place for almost every book publisher and distributor since ages.

So much so that it is said ‘if you want to venture in book industry, you must have an office at Ansari Road!’

Wonder why it is called so? Freedom fighter, Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari had a house at one end of this road. A close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, Ansari preached for Hindu-Muslim unity and passed away in 1936 en route from Mussoorie to Delhi on a train due to a heart attack.

After his death, the street was named Ansari Road. Om Gupta, a journalist turned book editor, who has researched on Ansari says, “There was a plan to name his house as Ansari building but it didn’t work out.

When I tried to research on him, I realised that there is hardly any information available. But why only this road is named after him is unreasonable because prior to settling here, he used to live with his family in Mori Gate.”

Hence the genesis is a little confusing and there is no one specific reason as to why the book publishers and sellers have made this place as their abode. B P Garg, managing director of Gyan Books, who has seen this place since 1987 says, “Ansari Road started gaining importance in 1965 when Oxford University Press moved its office here.

Earlier, the offices of book publishers used to be in Nai Sarak but with time it became congested and there rose the need for a place which is spacious as well as near the retail market of Nai Sarak. Therefore, Ansari Road started becoming popular.” Gradually it became one of the largest book trade markets in Asia where almost all kinds of dealing in books were carried out. The books are available at 10 to 25 per cent discounted rates to students and at much higher discounts to traders.

However, with time, property rates grew and  some of the publishers moved out of the scenario and the rest shifted their warehouses but opted to operate sales from this road. Yogesh Kumar Saxena, vice president, Macmillian has been in this industry since 36 years and has seen the ups and downs.

Yogesh says, “Ansari Road used to be a hub of book publishers but for the last 15 years, civic problems such as power cut and parking have increased to the extent that publishers are moving out of this area. If you come here after 9:30 am, it is difficult to find a place for car parking,” he says and adds, “It is also a fact that while few big names have moved out, some new players have also come into the market. So even after things have changed, Ansari Road will continue to be a breeding ground for publishers.”