Hyderabad: Mohd Ahmed, now in his 50s, sits in the midst of a heap of books at his stall in the decades-old Mahboob Chowk book market in the Old City.
Ask him any academic book pertaining to intermediate, graduation or Unani medicine and he will quickly get it for you. But ask him Urdu novels and poetry books of Munshi Prem Chand, Deebha Khanum and Shakeel Badayuni, and he would seek some time.
“I want some time as I have to search. They are kept somewhere in the shop. People don’t ask for these books these days,” he explained. The demand for Urdu books has come down compared to previous years. “Where are the Urdu readers,” he asked.
“Only students drop in for buying academic books of intermediate and graduation levels. Otherwise, we sell stationary items to run the shop,” says Mustaq Ahmed of A1 Book Stores.
The Gulzar stretch has some book stores where traders now stock mostly Arabic religious books and related Urdu translations, history of Islam and its prophets, Islamic laws and ideology.
“These books are in demand only because the Urdu literature is not largely available in digital format. Once it happens, the sales of hard copies will cease,” said Basith Shakeel of HUDA Book Publications.
These shops also stock novels, poetry, research papers and other Urdu books from various Indian cities.
“The market for Urdu books is strong in New Delhi and Lucknow. Unfortunately, Hyderabad is now losing out to these cities,” Mr Basith said.
Dr Syed Khaja Moizuddin, a noted poet and science writer, who is a consultant with the Centre for Promotion of Knowledge in Urdu at Manuu, blamed publishers and the government for the present situation.
“An author will write a book and then go in search of publishers. They have to wait for months to get their works published and this is why they hesitate to write now,” Dr Moizuddin complains.
