Another pride of the Kashmiri people has been silently erased, along with its 45 years of glory. Bestseller, the iconic bookstore situated in a quiet corner of Lal Chowk in Srinagar, announced its permanent closure in the third week of April 2025. It was the oldest and most cherished bookstore of the valley.

Mohammad Saniyasnain Chiloo, the 32-year-old owner of the store, announced the closure with a Ghibli-image, showing a bookseller, surrounded by several cardboard boxes filled with classical literature, looking at the empty shelves. He stressed that his father Sonaullah Chiloo had opened the store way back in 1985. Saniyasnain told The Indian Express: “It was not an easy decision, but we had to make it. Over the last few years, our sales have been down by nearly 80% mainly because of online platforms.” The closure of the store has shocked the bibliomaniacs in the Kashmir Valley.

Bestseller used to be a haven for readers and people connected to the cultural world. They exchanged views and discussed the contents of books with others for several hours. Many used to say that one could find stories not only inside the pages of books, but also among those who frequented the store. Saniyasnain, who has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, stressed that the growing popularity of e-commerce was the final nail in the coffin. “We just could not compete. We cannot offer the discounts that Flipkart or Amazon offers. Then our customers had to pay INR 50 for parking his vehicle, or a fine of INR 1,000. Why would anybody come to us when he can get the book delivered at home without a hassle?” he asked.

Saniyasnain believes that the changing mentality of the new generation, too, is responsible for the closure of his store. “I also think the new generation is not inclined towards reading books,” he stated, adding: “Earlier, people used to read books for mental peace and also for gaining knowledge. Now, the majority want to learn something quickly. Hence, Instagram and food vlogging have become popular.“

After taking charge of the store in 2017, Saniyasnain changed its interior decoration, apart from expanding the collection. He filled the store with novels, non-fiction, Kashmiri history, Islamic literature, books on environment and rare poetry. He even started the Books by Kilos initiative, selling books by the kilo to reach a larger audience. “There was some buzz for two or three weeks after the initiative. But soon, it died down, and only our regular customers visited after that,” Saniyasnain told the Indian daily.

Faizan Bhat, a long-time customer of this store and an author, said: “I have been coming here since 8th grade – almost 17 years. Sonaullah uncle treated us like his own kids. We’d get massive discounts and sometimes even take books on credit. This place was always my first stop at Lal Chowk. It’s more than a bookshop; it’s a part of who we are. Its closure says so much about what Kashmir is becoming.”

For his part, Khawar Khan Achakzai, an avid reader and frequent visitor to the bookstore, stated: “I considered it the only truly complete bookstore in Kashmir – it had everything from fiction and politics to poetry, philosophy and history. The owner would always go beyond his capacity in helping his customers. Many a time, he would buy rare books for me when he was out of Kashmir. It is sad how such a wonderful bookstore is forced to shut down, mainly because of shrinking readership in Kashmir.”

Just before the closure of the store, Saniyasnain wrote on Instagram: “Today, we close a chapter that spans nearly four decades. Our book-selling journey has been a labour of love, filled with countless moments of joy, discovery and connection. We have had the privilege of sharing stories that have inspired, educated and entertained generations.” He added: “As we say goodbye, we remember the late-night conversations about favourite authors, the excitement of discovering new titles and the sense of community that our bookshelves fostered. Although this chapter ends, the impact of our stories will live on. Farewell, dear friends. May the pages of your favourite books continue to inspire and transport you to new worlds.”

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das