Chennai Book Fair 2026: My Recommended List of Stalls

The Thrill of hunting bargain deals and rare finds

Godric Snow

14 Jan 2026 • 4 min read

It is that time in January again when the Chennai Book Fair is put up in town, and I head there for my yearly ritual of hunting rare books.

I go in with one rule: focus only on second hand stalls and keep an eye out for bargain deals. This year I extended my bubble for a small set of publishers as well I was drawn in by the beautiful covers on display.

I wanted do something this year that I always mean to do. To share with you, my dear reader, the shops that you should check out if you have limited time. With about 9 rows of about 1000 stalls, you will find your day filled hunting for your fair share of books.

Now, I do not want to rob you of your own search and wandering. So, you can choose to take this list as an optional shortcut so you can spend more time searching for the books in the stalls itself, rather than trying to locate the stalls.

A memory from the fair

A few years ago, I found a book called Singapore at the fair. It was an illustrated book by Tan Ping. I had not gone looking for it. I did not even know I wanted it until I saw it.

It was not placed openly. In fact, I saw "Beijing" by Tan Ping first and that was taken by someone else. I thought I lost my chance until I found this book. It was sitting inside a pile that most people were flipping through quickly.

I picked it up and knew immediately that I would take it home.

That is what the fair gives you when you go slowly. A treasure for the ages.

This year’s route

I have my usual old friends in the fair, stalls that are reliable in their collection of rarities. And then there are the big international publishers I still like to visit, even if I buy nothing. Here is the plan, row by row, with stall numbers so the search stays practical.

Row 1

28 and 29, Baskar Book House
Good for a mix of business books and novels. I usually find this place great for non-fiction and self-improvement.
F12, Simon and Sehuster India
The most well beautiful collection of classics and manga. Will not bargain deals, you still get a 10% off.
F16, Scholastic India Pvt Ltd
For nostalgia's sake. The one that got us into reading in school.
F18, Penguin Random House India
Another good publisher's stalls with some of the most rcommended collection of books.

Row 1 is a good start because it sets two moods at once. One foot in the used book hunt, one foot in the curated tables of the big publishers. I spent a lot of time in Baskar book house, picking up a copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard, and debating if I should pick up the game guide for Last of Us or Dishonored (did not end up picking either.

I did come back home and go through these gems that I recorded years ago.

Row 2

103 and 104, Lore Books LLP

This is a focused stop. It is where you slow down and browse properly, instead of speed walking.

Row 4

F33, Eswar Book Centre
248 and 249, Muran Publication

Again two good stalls to hunt for second hand books.

Row 5

341 and 342, Sri Universal Book House
F35, Wisdom Global Service

This row is for breadth. You are likely to find academic or reference leaning selections sitting next to general interest.

Row 7

441 and 442, Omni Books
F47, Book World Library

This is a good row to reserve time for. These kinds of stalls reward patience more than speed.

Row 8

F50, Harpercollins India
570 and 571, Shree Balaji Booksellers and Distributors

Again another big publisher against a good bargain deals.

Row 9

646 and 647, Rain Tree Publishing P Ltd

A good place to find coffee table books

At the end of the rows

E2, Gift Books
F59, Om Shakthi Book House

Om Shakthi is a definite recommendation. They have 3 books going for ₹999. Almost every other year I find something worthwhile in their stall like that one year I dound the hardbound edition of the entire works of Shakespeare.

Closing: Less Quantity, More Story

Every year the stalls change. There are some constants and some variables. Hidden among them is that rare gem waiting to be found. All you need to do is look.

Leaving the fair with fewer books but ones that mean something, that is the ritual now. I am very strict on myself, on what I can pick and take home. Sometimes, I leave something behind just to see if I dream about it that night.

I leave you with this list in the hopes that you find a gem of your own. Let me know if I missed any place and I will update the list. Until then, happy hunting and have an amazing Pongal this year.