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International Business Times
International Business Times
Business
Aishwarya KUMAR and Abhaya SRIVASTAVA

Fading Literature: Delhi's Famed Urdu Bazaar On Last Legs

New Delhi India Old Delhi
A student sits beneath packed shelves at the Hazrat Shah Waliullah public library (Credit: AFP)

In the bustling heart of Old Delhi, Indian bookseller Mohammed Mahfooz Alam sits forlorn in his quiet store, among the last few selling literature in a language beloved by poets for centuries.

Urdu, spoken by many millions today, has a rich past that reflects how cultures melded to forge India's complex history.

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