Gulshan Books: A cultural space for readers & thinkers
Six generations of Sheikh family have kept Kashmir's literary flame burning since 1932
Shahnawaz Majid Srinagar, Mar 29: For decades, readers in Srinagar have known Gulshan Books Kashmir as more than a bookstore. Situated along the busy commercial stretch of Residency Road, the shop has quietly become one of the valley’s most recognisable spaces for readers, scholars, and anyone seeking to understand the region through books. Step inside, and the bustle of the street gives way to the quiet order of shelves lined with thousands of titles. Books in English and Urdu dominate the collection, covering subjects that range from Kashmir’s history and politics to Sufi thought, literature, travel writing, and contemporary global works. For generations of readers in the Valley, browsing these shelves has been part of their intellectual journey. Shahid Malik, a student of Sri Pratap College, M. A Road, Srinagar, was busy purchasing the books at the store. “I often come to Gulshan Books whenever I need good reading material. The store has a wide range of books, especially on Kashmir’s history, literature and culture. It’s always a pleasant experience to browse through the shelves and discover new titles," Malik told Rising Kashmir. Farheen Bhat, a postgraduate student at Kashmir University who visited the shop to buy books on politics and contemporary writing, said, “Bookstores like Gulshan Books are rare gems today. In an age of online shopping, coming here and picking a book from the shelf has its own charm. It is not just a store but a cultural space for readers and thinkers.” The bookstore’s story stretches back nearly a century. Gulshan Books traces its origins to 1932, when it began as part of the family enterprise of Sheikh Mohammad Usman and Sons. From modest beginnings, the venture gradually grew into one of Jammu and Kashmir’s most prominent publishing houses and bookstore chains. Today, the legacy is carried forward by Sheikh Maied, representing the sixth generation of the family. Under his stewardship, Gulshan Books has continued to expand its catalogue while preserving its reputation as a centre for serious reading and scholarship. Over the years, the bookstore has built a particularly strong reputation for its collection of works related
to Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. Historical accounts of the princely state, political analyses, travelogues, and studies of Sufism and regional culture occupy prominent space on its shelves. For researchers and journalists visiting the Valley, the bookstore has often been an important stop. Scholars from universities across India and abroad frequently browse its collection in search of regional studies and historical material that may not be easily available elsewhere. The diversity of readers who pass through its doors reflects the region’s complex social landscape. On any given day, the shop may see students searching for textbooks, writers exploring literary works, and journalists seeking background material. At times, even army officers and intelligence personnel posted in the Valley have been known to visit the bookstore, looking for books that offer deeper insight into Kashmir’s history, society, and politics. Yet for many local readers, the appeal of Gulshan Books lies simply in the experience it offers. In a fast-moving digital age, the shop provides a rare space where reading still feels unhurried. Visitors wander between shelves, pause to leaf through a book, and often discover titles they had not initially come looking for. Over time, Gulshan Books has expanded beyond its main Residency Road store. In addition to its central outlet in Srinagar, the bookstore operates a branch at Srinagar International Airport, allowing travellers arriving in or departing from the Valley to browse books on Kashmir’s history, culture, and literature. For several years, Gulshan Books also operated a distinctive branch at Nehru Park on Dal Lake. Surrounded by houseboats and the Zabarwan mountains, the floating bookstore combined a reading space with scenic views that attracted both readers and tourists. In 2018, it entered the Limca Book of Records as India’s only bookshop and library located on a lake. Though the Dal Lake branch has since closed, it remains a memorable chapter in the bookstore’s history. Residency Road itself once hosted several well-known bookstores that shaped Srinagar’s reading culture in the second half of the twentieth century. Among them were Kashmir Bookshop and Hind Bookshop, both popular with students and readers
for many years. Like many traditional bookstores, however, these establishments eventually closed their doors, marking the end of an era in the city’s literary life. Like many independent bookstores around the world, Gulshan Books has faced challenges in recent decades. Political turbulence, economic disruptions, natural disasters such as the floods of 2014, and the rise of digital reading platforms have all tested traditional book retail. Despite these pressures, the bookstore has endured. Its continued presence reflects both the dedication of the family that runs it and the enduring reading culture of the Valley. Today, Gulshan Books remains a familiar destination for readers in Srinagar. Students preparing for exams, scholars pursuing research, and casual readers searching for a good book still find their way to its shelves. In a city often defined by political upheavals and change, Gulshan Books stands as a quiet yet enduring witness to Srinagar’s intellectual life. Beyond the thousands of volumes it houses, its true legacy lies in the conversations sparked, the ideas nurtured, and the generations of readers it has shaped. For locals, scholars, students, and travellers alike, the bookstore is more than a shop. It is a refuge where the Valley’s love for learning, literature, and culture continues to thrive, reminding everyone who walks through its doors that even amid uncertainty, the pursuit of knowledge remains a steady, unshakable part of Kashmir’s identity. Sheikh Maied, owner of the store, told Rising Kashmir that despite the digital age, the bookstore continues to witness a steady flow of bibliophiles eager to purchase books. “People visit here in good numbers to buy books. Some time ago, pirated books had flooded the online market, but later the government acted strongly against it. Now, people have switched back to the offline mode,” he said. He added that the government’s support is needed to revive a reading culture in the valley, particularly among the youth. “We want to establish those reading rooms again,” said Maied, who holds an MBA from Kashmir University. Maied further said that readers often look for books related to Kashmir’s history, wildlife, Sufism, culture, and politics.
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