India, Feb. 7 -- Rows of books stretch endlessly, their covers catching the light as people pause, pick them up and turn the first few pages. Young readers sit cross-legged in corners, lost in the worlds unfolding before them. An elderly man flips through the preface of a historical novel, nodding thoughtfully. In another section, a group of students debates over which thriller to buy, while a child tugs at a parent's sleeve, eager to reach the storytelling session. Everywhere, people are drawn to the stories waiting to be discovered.

The sight of people, young and old, browsing through shelves, flipping through pages and immersing themselves in words speaks to the timeless pull of books. Some stand before entire sections, searching for ...