Delhi's beloved 'The Bookshop' shuts its doors after 50 year

Amidst teary eyes and trembling hands, book lovers bid farewell to the beloved 'The Bookshop' in the heart of the capital on a poignant Monday. The store's closure, announced by Rachna Singh, daughter of the store's founder KD Singh, marked the end of a 50-year affair between Delhiites and this charming little bookstore in Jor Bagh.

In a heartfelt Facebook post shared on Sunday, Rachna wrote, "It is with sadness that I would like to announce that on 31 October 2023, The Book Shop will close its doors... As it is said, to everything, there is a season, The Book Shop, too, has had its season, now it's time to move on," along with a touching photograph of KD Singh and his wife, Nini Singh.

The news resonated deeply with many, with notable authors like Shobhaa De and John Zubrzycki reminiscing about the iconic '13/7 Jor Bagh Market' and expressing their sorrow over the store's closure. Zubrzycki, known for works like 'Jadoowallahs, Jugglers and Jinns' and 'The House of Jaipur,' shared, "Was always my first stop in Delhi... Will miss it dearly."

KD and Nini had opened The Bookshop in 1970, a place that welcomed luminaries of Delhi society, from novelists to politicians and film stars. Their Khan Market store closed in 2006 due to financial constraints. Even after KD's passing in 2014, Nini and the family remained committed to the Jor Bagh store.

The bookstore witnessed a bittersweet rush of book lovers on that final Monday, as they embarked on a last journey through its endless stacks and shelves. The New York Times once described it as "the cosiest bookshop in the country."

One visitor, in her late 80s, expressed her sorrow, "I have been coming to this store since its inception. It is as if they are taking a part of me away from me. Books without my beloved 'The Bookshop' would no longer mean the same to me."

But as the saying goes, every ending opens the door to a new beginning. The closure of The Bookshop has paved the way for 'The Bookshop Inc' in the nearby Lodhi Market, a swanky and spacious successor. Operated by Sonal Narain, a former partner of The Bookshop, along with staff members Mahika Chaturvedi and the loyal doorman Sohan Singh, it promises to offer an outstanding collection of books for literature enthusiasts in the capital.

Publishing houses, such as Penguin Random House India (PRHI), who held The Bookshop in high esteem, are optimistic about the success of the new bookstore. Nandan Jha, the executive VP at PRHI, said, "While the original store is closing, we must celebrate the fact that another one is coming up not so far from Jor Bagh, and I am sure the readers and followers of The Bookshop will continue to flock to the new place which looks very promising for the readers' community."