A page from history

Bahrisons has stood the test of time and knowledge, growing in wisdom and not in size alone.

Inconspicuous amidst the trendy outlets that define Delhi's Khan Market, Bahrisons Bookshop, despite its old-fashioned look, is a name to reckon with.

One of the few shops to lend an old-world charm to the market, this tiny conglomeration of three shops merged into one, started in one third of its current area 54 years ago.

If you visited the shop today, nothing would give away its little secret "" the man who started it knew nothing about books and bookshops and the ways of the trade.

But Balraj Bahri, founder of the store, knew that this would be the calling of his life and it is this realisation that kept him going... with help from customers and guidance from a friend who belonged to the trade.

"When someone asked me for a book," reminisces Bahri, "I used to give him a completely blank look and request him to write his order on a piece of paper. I'd then rush over to my friend's shop in Connaught Place and he'd guide me on where to get the books from," he laughs.

Cycling everyday from Khan Market to CP to Darya Ganj, Bahri spent a lot of time scouting for books and understanding the art of service and sales.

His self-training in fact, reached such great levels that when a drunk customer slapped him one day, Bahri in his early twenties those days, folded his hands and apologised for no fault of his. But the patience has paid.

"Today I feel so dignified and so proud of my achievement. I have got much more than I expected and I have my friend and my family to thank for all of this."

And to keep the uniqueness alive, Bahri and his son Anuj have no intentions of expanding or multiplying this enterprise.