Once a go-to spot, Ferozepur’s British-era bookstore a closed chapter
Marking the end of an era, the town lost its iconic book shop, which was founded during the British rule in 1923. Once a rendezvous for people from various walks of life, including the British during the pre-Partition era, The English Book Depot finally gave in to the pressures of change.
Not the first one to fade into oblivion
- The English Book Depot, founded by Lala Narain Dass in 1923, has been taken over by a stationery trader
- Prem Book Depot, another landmark of Ferozepur, also couldn’t stand the pressures of change and shut down
- Nutan Dass & Co, set up in 1943, also had to down the shutters as its owner found it tough to make ends meet
Started by Lala Narain Dass, this shop stood testimony to a bygone era when bibliophiles used to hang out here for their regular copies of magazines, novels and literary classics. Senior bureaucrats posted in the town during the sixties and seventies still remember this place, which was not just a bookstore but a hangout place for socialising. “Even after superannuation, many bureaucrats would never miss a chance to visit this place,” recalls AS Rai, a senior police official, whose father was a regular visitor to the store during his posting here.
At one time, the entire family of Dass was involved in this trade. Even now his fourth generation is running book shops in various parts of the country. However, no one from his family is settled here, said Siddhant Arora, his great grandson who owns a book shop in Dehradun. He said the digital boom had taken a toll on bookstores.
The English Book Depot has been taken over by a local businessman, Rakesh Bansal, who renamed it to Kewal Book Depot and is selling stationery items there.
“More and more people are giving up reading in today’s fast evolving digital era juxtaposed with the emergence of social media and OTT platforms. Book shops are no more a viable venture as there has been a striking decline in the avid reading culture,” said Harish Monga, a reader.
Besides, the online book business had adversely hit the brick and mortar shops as people were getting books at cheaper prices than what was available in the market, he added.
Old timers recall that in this border town which was once a huge garrison during the erstwhile colonial regime, there used to be a lot of book shops, including Nutan Dass & Co and Prem Book Depot. The town’s elite and defence officials were regular customers. Most of the old bookshops have either shut down or are on the verge of closure.
Ironically, many owners have switched over to selling mobile phones or stationery items to earn a living.
Prem Book Depot, which was managed by Jagdish Arora, first shifted from the main bazaar to the outskirts due to declining business. But it couldn’t stay afloat and was finally closed down.
Deepak Bhagat (75), proprietor of Nutan Dass & Co, which was set up in 1943, said he had to close the shop as the habit of reading was dying and not many people were interested in books anymore. “We used to supply books to British army officers and other residents of the cantonment area,” said Deepak, who is now running a stationery shop to make a living.
