Coimbatore’s Old Book Market is having a busy season with schools reopening

Hidden in plain sight near the Ukkadam Bus Stand in Coimbatore, beyond the rush of buses and blaring horns, thrives a quiet world. For over 30 years, it has steadily fed curiosity, supported students, and kindled the joy of discovery. This is the Ukkadam Old Book Market, a place where second-hand books tell firsthand stories.

Step inside, and you are greeted by uneven stacks overflowing with paperbacks, hardcovers, exam guides, and timeworn dictionaries. Dust motes swirl like confetti in the sunlight. If you listen closely, you will hear the rustle of pages being flipped, the murmur of titles being read aloud, the banter of booksellers greeting regulars.

For bookworms, this market is more than a retail space. It is a routine.

The market has 31 stalls arranged in a neat space; each one distinctly curated. Some stalls specialise in school and college textbooks; others stock fiction and biographies, among other genres. One may have a stack of books on Thermodynamics next to a box of Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven novels. Another might surprise you with a Sidney Sheldon adjacent to class IX Mathematics textbooks. “Whatever the syllabus, whatever the level, we try to keep something for everyone,” says KM Fazulul Rahiman, a veteran bookseller.

June and July mark the busiest time of the year, when the new academic season draws in a steady stream of students and parents. Guides for JEE, NEET, UPSC, TNPSC, and NET fly off the shelves, along with school textbooks and exam manuals. If a particular edition is unavailable, they go a step further by trying to source missing titles from elsewhere. They also help by suggesting different publishers, authors, or books others in the same age group or exam category have found useful, something that reminds one that this place is alive, not automated.

While commercial bookstores and digital platforms often dictate reading through bestsellers and algorithms, the old book market does something quietly radical. It listens. If a visitor mentions a book from 10 years ago, chances are someone here will have it, or know who might. The sellers frequently exchange stock, refer customers to one another, and even keep running lists of requested titles.

In a sense, this is what sets the Ukkadam Old Book Market apart: its community spirit. “We work together, not against each other,” says K Mohammed Raja, who has manned his stall for several years. “That is why the market has survived so long. If a customer walks away happy, even if it’s not from my shop, that is a win for all of us.”

A sense of generosity fills the market. It is not uncommon to see a student walk in with a tight budget, and leave with a happy heart, having taken a lot of books back home. Most sellers here grew up valuing education and see themselves as playing a small role in someone else’s academic journey.

The market is also a trove of forgotten gems. Between engineering guides and nursing handbooks, you will find everything from vintage travelogues to pulp thrillers, children’s comics to political manifestos.

In a world that prizes speed and efficiency, this slow, attentive approach feels almost meditative. Customers are encouraged to browse, to linger, taking them back to old times. There is no pressure to buy, no hovering sales pitch. Time here bends a little differently.

Despite challenges, from changing reading habits to the dominance of online marketplaces, the market has held firm. Though sales dipped during the pandemic, Mohammed says, “We have bounced back. Students and parents are returning.”

Regulars know they will get honest pricing, quality stock, and real recommendations. And newcomers are often surprised, not just by what they find, but how they feel while finding it. Most books here are also priced much below maximum retail price.

While online bookstores offer convenience, they cannot replicate this level of personal attention, adds Mohammed. The sellers speak from experience, often guiding readers to better editions or newer versions, and warning against duplicate or pirated copies, which have become a common problem in recent years. “We get people bringing in cheap, poor-quality prints they bought online, with several pages missing, diagrams blurred. We do not entertain that; we believe in giving people books that last,” says Rahiman.

There is something special about second-hand books: each one carries the mark of a previous life, a folded page, a scribbled name, a coffee stain.

Each morning, as shutters rise and books are dusted off, Ukkadam’s Old Book Market resumes its quiet magic. Rows of books, seasoned sellers, and readers ready to listen to the stories tucked between the pages.

The Ukkadam Old Book Market is open on all days, 9.30am to 9pm