India GO
Daryaganj Sunday Book Market, Delhi
The Daryaganj book market is a Sunday-only open-air book fair in Old Delhi. Since 2019 it has not been on the Daryaganj pavements but at Mahila Haat on Asaf Ali Road, near Delhi Gate. Books are cheap, often ₹50–100 each, and the range runs from textbooks and dictionaries to fiction, art books and the occasional rare edition.
A book lover's favorite market. Open on Sundays. Basically turns into a huge street fair where you can find:
- Books at minimal prices (often 50–100 rupees per book) - Textbooks, albums, dictionaries - Fiction - Rare editions - Art books, photography books
You can find both new and old editions in English and other languages.
A Sunday book fair
When the market runs
The market is held on Sundays only; on other days there is no book fair at the site. There is no official published schedule; it is a daytime market.
The India GO database holds no hours for the market, and the timings that circulate online come from blogs and travel guides rather than a market authority.
From the pavements to Mahila Haat
For decades the Sunday market, the Patri Kitab Bazaar ("pavement book market"), ran in an L-shape along the sidewalks of Netaji Subhash Marg and Asaf Ali Road in Daryaganj. A Delhi High Court order of 3 July 2019 ended it there; press reports cite traffic problems as the reason. After about 50 days without a market it reopened in September 2019 at Mahila Haat, an open ground on Asaf Ali Road near Delhi Gate.
The move was contested and not every seller followed: at the reopening, 139 of 276 booksellers set up stalls, and some never came back after the Covid-19 lockdown. ThePrint counted 278 registered sellers in August 2026. Press guides from 2025 describe it as running every Sunday.
✅ What you find on the stalls
- Books at low prices, often ₹50–100 a book
- Textbooks, albums and dictionaries
- Fiction, new and second-hand
- Art and photography books
- Rare and old editions, if you are patient
Books are in English and other languages.
How to reach the book market
Mahila Haat is on Asaf Ali Road near Delhi Gate, on the edge of Old Delhi. Delhi Gate has a station on the Violet Line of the Delhi Metro, and the ground is a short walk from there.
The market is close to the Old Delhi sights: Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk and the Red Fort are all within the same part of town, so a Sunday morning at the stalls fits before an afternoon in the old city.
❓ FAQ
Which day is best to visit Daryaganj book market?
Sunday, because it is the only day the market runs.
Is Daryaganj book market open every day?
No. It is a Sunday-only market.
Where is the Sunday book market in Delhi now?
At Mahila Haat on Asaf Ali Road, near Delhi Gate. It moved there from the Daryaganj pavements in 2019 after a Delhi High Court order.
Are Mahila Haat and Daryaganj book market the same?
Today, on Sundays, yes: the Daryaganj book market is held at the Mahila Haat ground.
How much do books cost at Daryaganj?
Often ₹50–100 a book, according to the India GO guide.