New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS) India may vote against Iran on the nuclear issue and spar with Pakistan on tricky bilateral matters, but when it comes to books the three countries have carved a pipeline of knowledge that has brought a new energy to the ongoing Delhi Book Fair.

"We have been putting up a stall of Persian books and literature at the Delhi Book Fair for the last 10 years. The response is great and much better in comparison to the last year," Rais-ul Hasan of Iran Cultural House told IANS.

Persian poetry, specially the immortal verses penned by Hafiz, Saadi and sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi, are in demand at the Iranian stall.

"Poetry speaks directly to people's hearts. That's why these Iranian poets are so loved and even worshipped in Iran," said an excited Hasan.

Besides poetry, "The Glorious Quran", in elegant Persian calligraphy, is one of the best-selling books at the Iranian stall in Hall no. 8 at Pragati Maidan.

"I do not know much about politics. Iran's cultural and civilisational ties with India are getting better and better," Hasan said when asked about the state of India-Iran relations after India voted against Tehran in Vienna this year on its alleged clandestine nuclear weapons programme.

Books on Pakistan and those published in Pakistan are also a big attraction, speaking eloquently about the power of cultural diplomacy in bringing people together.

"Just as Indian books are quite popular in India, our books are getting a lot of attention," Muhammad Alam, manager with Lahore-based publisher Sheikh Mubarak Ali, said.

"We have been saying this right from the beginning that books and knowledge can bring India and Pakistan closer in hearts and minds more than what diplomacy can do," said Alam. One of the leading publishers of Pakistan, Mubarak Ali publishers has been coming to the Delhi Book Fair for nearly two decades.

"We should build bridges of understanding through books, knowledge and education," Alam said in a statesman-like manner.

Biographies of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, books on Afghanistan and Taliban and commentaries on India-Pakistan relations are a big draw with the droves of book lovers stalking the Pakistan stall. On an average, the Pakistan stall has been getting nearly 1,000 visitors every day.

Poems of Iqbal, Faiz Ahamd Faiz and Ahmad Faraz are an all-time favourite with the lovers of Urdu poetry visiting the fair.

The 12th Delhi Book Fair, organised jointly by the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) and India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), began on Saturday. It has foreign buyers from four countries - Britain, Mauritius, Malaysia and Uganda - participating for the first time. The nine-day event ends on Sunday.