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The Independents is coming back to Delhi. The second edition of the indie book fair will take over Purbosree Mahila Samity in Chittaranjan Park on December 5 and 6, with independent publishers, authors across fiction, non-fiction and children's literature. After a resounding first edition in 2025, it's rather pleasing to note that entry’s free this year as well.
Why should you go to The Independents?
Early December is a good bit of timing for a city that reads more widely than its bestseller lists suggest. Delhi is the home of the Daryaganj Sunday book market, after all, where a dog-eared first edition lurks under a pile of guidebooks. There are the Khan Market regulars who know the Faqir Chand and Bahrison’s shopkeepers by name, and still a bigger World Book Fair crowd that braves Pragati Maidan every winter with an empty tote bag and spare cash.
While independent publishers have featured in all of these – and many of them have dedicated stores of their own – for years, Delhi’s needed more of a dedicated collective room for the small press, one that’s more bound to curating measured points of view and alternative voices to the mainstream than big author names. That's the space The Independents is carving out. Last year, they had over a thousand titles. They'd announced panel discussions by writers closer to the date, so it may be worth it to follow @india_independent_ for updates on this year's edition.
Who’s behind The Independents?
India Independent. They’re a collective of booksellers and publishers from independent presses, including stalwarts like LeftWord, Tulika Publishers, Speaking Tiger, and Kali for Women. Rest assured the curation’s in excellent hands, and this isn’t a business gimme. So go for the discovery. Come back on Sunday for whatever you couldn't carry home on Saturday.
Time Out tip: The venue is walking distance from CR Park’s Market no 1 which has some good Bengali bites, and from Limbu Kitchen, a small Nepalese hole-in-the-wall that’s worth the reservation. There’s no better ending to a winter book haul than some steaming soupy food.
The details
Where: Purbosree Mahila Samity, K 2019, Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi
When: December 5-6, 2026 (Saturday and Sunday). 11am-7pm.
Entry: Free