A new ISKCON book shop opened on Platform No. 16 at New Delhi Railway Station on January 21^st, selling Srila Prabhupada’s books to commuters. 

ISKCON India Communications Director Yudhistir Govinda Das and Vakreshvar Pran Das developed the idea, and conducted initial meetings with the Railway Minister. Mohan Rupa Das, Temple President of ISKCON New Delhi’s East of Kailash temple, then took on the project, meeting further with officials and seeing the plan through to completion.

“The shop’s aim is to help people learn about the books on India’s great spiritual heritage and philosophy, as well as to help them learn of ISKCON’s role in sharing this with the masses,” Yudhistir says.

The book shop is now run by ISKCON Delhi. With large lettering reading “ISKCON” and the ISKCON lotus logo on all four sides, the 8.7 by 7.7 ft square box-like stall features glass walls, allowing passersby to see through to the books.

Devotees inaugurate the book shop by offering arati to a picture of Radha Krishna

Two devotees serve full-time at the store, which is open from 6am to 10pm daily.

As well as selling books, the store serves as an information center, helping people who approach it to find out about locations and programs of different ISKCON centers in Delhi.

So far, the response has been good. “In general, people are happy to see that books like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are getting mainstream attention, which can serve as a catalyst to read them and transform their lives,” says Yudhistir.

The New Delhi bookstore is not ISKCON’s first railway shop – bookstores have previously opened at stations in Berhampur in Odisha and Salem in Tamil Nadu.