HYDERABAD: Sayed Nizamuddin, an adept bookseller is quick to offer any book on demand to his customer from the lakhs of latest books on business, science, engineering or English fiction. But to locate the Urdu stories of Alif Laila, Ali Baba Chalis Chor, Sindabad Jahazi, Akbar Birbal Ke Latife (jokes), Ghalib Ki Shayari and Razia Begum's biography he struggles hard amidst the heap of dusty and buried books. Another shopkeeper, Anwarahullah Ansari too has a blank look when asked for the once revered novels such as Saleem Ke Zakhm by Noshaba Sadiqui or Chilman Chilman Teri Dazzali by Dheeba Khanam, while the bookstore placard "Ansari Book Stall: All latest competitive general and fiction books available" stares at the customer. The buried and lost books amongst the heap are symbolic of the status of Urdu language in the city.
The city has had Urdu as its official language but the demand for Urdu language is witnessing a sharp decline. From students opting for Urdu medium to the availability of Urdu books, Urdu has largely been marginalised to the Old City. With sales dipping, Urdu literature and poetry 
that was an addiction earlier, is becoming a rare sight. Though these books are fast disappearing from the shelves of most bookstores, a few do save space for Urdu books, in the form of school textbooks or religious texts. Mohammad Javed, manager of Himalaya Book World says, "Although there is a great fervour for Urdu books, it is largely for religious books like the teachings of Prophet Mohammad, Noorani Ratein, Noorani Salaam and Yassarnal Quran. Mazhabi Kitabein (religious books) sell a lot and it's a good business."
that was an addiction earlier, is becoming a rare sight. Though these books are fast disappearing from the shelves of most bookstores, a few do save space for Urdu books, in the form of school textbooks or religious texts. Mohammad Javed, manager of Himalaya Book World says, "Although there is a great fervour for Urdu books, it is largely for religious books like the teachings of Prophet Mohammad, Noorani Ratein, Noorani Salaam and Yassarnal Quran. Mazhabi Kitabein (religious books) sell a lot and it's a good business." While some shopkeepers are happy and satisfied with the rising sale of religious books, there are others who believe that there is much more to Urdu language than religious texts. "There are a large number of Urdu books, from fascinating fairy tales and magical stories to absorbing shayari by great writers to thought provoking novels. Why is Urdu script associated with religious texts only," asks M Q Farooqi, the 60-year-old Nuh Book Stall owner and a great lover of Urdu books who nostalgically slips a decade back to remember the craze Urdu magazines like Sadabahar , Sadrang and Hazaarrang would generate. While some shopkeepers due to their lost love for the language still manage to dig the tales of 'Alauddin aur Jaduyee Chirag,' 'Rustam wa Sohrab' and 'Tipu Sultan' and Sher Shah Suri's biographies, their numbers are restricted to only a few and mostly pushed to the vicinity of Old City. The reasons for Urdu scripts fast disappearing from Hyderabad's bookshelves are many. Farooqi says, "Today Urdu no longer provides the economic advantage. Unlike English, Hindi or regional languages, studying in a Urdu medium does not give an edge while seeking employment."
Popular bookstores predictably see no reason to stock them. "We have seven stores in the city, with each having a collection of over a lakh books but we don't have a collection of Urdu books as they are not much in demand," says Tayyab, a staff member of Universal Book Store. Booksellers note they stock books in English and Telugu as Urdu books are neither in fashion nor in demand. Md Azhar adds, "With fast paced technology, the other mediums of entertainment have taken over and the interest in Urdu fiction is fast subsiding due to coming of other popular sources of entertainment such as TV and multiplexes. The feel and interest for the Urdu language is missing."
However, there are some who are optimistic of its revival phase. Ali Zaheer, a consultant in National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language says: "There needs to be proper outlets for promotion of Urdu books. During exhibitions there is a huge sale of all sorts of Urdu books which proves that there is a huge demand for Urdu books among people. The only thing is that they should be made more accessible. Also, if Urdu writers are given more respect and their due royalty, this language would flourish."
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