133-yr-old Srinagar bookshop keeps literary legacy alive

Falak Bilal
Srinagar, Mar 19: In the historic trading hub of Maharaj Gunj in Srinagar, a modest stationery and bookshop stands as a living testament to Kashmir’s literary and publishing history. Over 133 years old, the shop has witnessed generations of readers, writers, and scholars, preserving a legacy that dates back to the era of Maharaja Pratap Singh.

Today, the shop is run by Mohammad Iqbal, the third generation of his family to carry forward the tradition started by his grandfather more than a century ago. Long before printing presses became common in Kashmir, the family played a crucial role in collecting and publishing Kashmiri literature.
According to Iqbal, his grandfather traveled from village to village across Kashmir, gathering manuscripts, religious texts, and pieces of Kashmiri literature that were otherwise at risk of being lost. At that time, there were no printing presses in the region, forcing publishers to send manuscripts outside the Valley.
“Those were very different times,” Iqbal said. “My grandfather would collect Kashmiri writings and send them to cities like Lahore, Lucknow, and Delhi for printing. Once printed, the books were brought back and distributed among readers here.”
The shop is widely regarded as one of the earliest publishing centers in Kashmir. Among its most significant contributions was the publication of the Qur’an Sharif in the Kashmiri language, making religious texts accessible to a broader section of society. The shop also published the Ramayan in Kashmiri, along with several other religious and literary works.
In the early decades of the 20th century, the shop became a hub for intellectual activity. Many prominent personalities of the time are believed to have visited the store, which also played a role in distributing early newspapers and magazines in the region.
Iqbal says the establishment was not only among the first publishers and booksellers in Kashmir but also among the earliest to introduce a printing press in the Valley—at a time when such technology was rare and limited.
Despite its historical significance, the future of the shop remains uncertain. Iqbal admits that younger generations are not as interested in continuing the trade.
“As long as I am alive, I will keep this shop running,” he said. “But today’s youth are not very keen on this line of work. Times have changed, and people look for different careers.”
For Iqbal, the shop represents far more than a business. It is a symbol of his family’s contribution to Kashmir’s intellectual and cultural life.
As modern bookstores and digital platforms reshape the reading culture, this 133-year-old establishment continues to stand quietly in Maharaj Gunj—reminding visitors of a time when books were carried across cities, printed with dedication, and shared as treasures of knowledge.