Its a beautiful building, who's exterior facade is used for pre-wedding shoots (some new fad all couples seem to have these days, which hapless guests are forced to watch in recompense for the dinner we down at their wedding reception!) while the interior holds books dating back to the 1600s. Sadly, it is also one of the most forgotten institutions as far as government interest goes.
The regular influx of new books has left it with little space which isn't taken up with bookshelves. Some rooms are literally filled with sacks of books stashed one upon the other, with no staff left to even indent them. The scores of students who come, aren't here for the heritage or the hardbacks. They are here looking for a quiet place to study. With nothing left in the name of a reading room, the corridors are lined with desks and chairs for them to use.
Despite this state of affairs, the sheer will and commitment of 2-3 people is keeping this library going.. and they are super excited with my visit. They show me around with pride.. some more people join us as we move from room to room.. these are the old timers who have been visiting this library for decades. Some have even retired from here and keep pitching in with their help whenever needed.
We reach a sort of verandah where I'm stumped to find a massive, 10, maybe 12 feet statue of Queen Victoria in marble. Apparently, this library was originally opened as a museum in her name, in the late 1800s. Hence, the statue. Post independence, it was seen as a mark of British subjugation and removed from its prime spot at the entrance. Today she stands in the yard, book in hand, not knowing what to do!
Moving on, we go upstairs and they bring me the oldest book in the collection, dating back to 1665! The pages are so brittle that turning them reminds me of the first time I held my tiny newborn baby in my arms. There are some with beautifully painted gold inscriptions, travelogues written in an English which we do not recognise fully today, coffee table books of yore (that's not what they were called then!) showcasing a Bombay Horse and Cattle show and plenty other wonderful treasures!
By now I have made up my mind to do something about this place. They say, whatever happens, happens for the best. And so it is, even if we dont realise it then. My little tenure in a place whose basic work was preservation of precious manuscripts and the people it brought me in touch with sprang to my mind immediately. With luck, I am able to mobilise funds from two sources under my control and reach out to my erstwhile colleagues for chalking out a plan of action. Its been about a month since my visit now, the plan is in place and we are ready to start working on it.
If all goes well, we will find a new and separate reading room for all the exam - giving students, digitized books so that they do not have to be manually handled any more, scientific preservation of the older lot and a gallery showcasing some of the rare books and manuscripts unique to this library, within 6 months. Fingers crossed!
The regular influx of new books has left it with little space which isn't taken up with bookshelves. Some rooms are literally filled with sacks of books stashed one upon the other, with no staff left to even indent them. The scores of students who come, aren't here for the heritage or the hardbacks. They are here looking for a quiet place to study. With nothing left in the name of a reading room, the corridors are lined with desks and chairs for them to use.
Despite this state of affairs, the sheer will and commitment of 2-3 people is keeping this library going.. and they are super excited with my visit. They show me around with pride.. some more people join us as we move from room to room.. these are the old timers who have been visiting this library for decades. Some have even retired from here and keep pitching in with their help whenever needed.
We reach a sort of verandah where I'm stumped to find a massive, 10, maybe 12 feet statue of Queen Victoria in marble. Apparently, this library was originally opened as a museum in her name, in the late 1800s. Hence, the statue. Post independence, it was seen as a mark of British subjugation and removed from its prime spot at the entrance. Today she stands in the yard, book in hand, not knowing what to do!
Moving on, we go upstairs and they bring me the oldest book in the collection, dating back to 1665! The pages are so brittle that turning them reminds me of the first time I held my tiny newborn baby in my arms. There are some with beautifully painted gold inscriptions, travelogues written in an English which we do not recognise fully today, coffee table books of yore (that's not what they were called then!) showcasing a Bombay Horse and Cattle show and plenty other wonderful treasures!
By now I have made up my mind to do something about this place. They say, whatever happens, happens for the best. And so it is, even if we dont realise it then. My little tenure in a place whose basic work was preservation of precious manuscripts and the people it brought me in touch with sprang to my mind immediately. With luck, I am able to mobilise funds from two sources under my control and reach out to my erstwhile colleagues for chalking out a plan of action. Its been about a month since my visit now, the plan is in place and we are ready to start working on it.
If all goes well, we will find a new and separate reading room for all the exam - giving students, digitized books so that they do not have to be manually handled any more, scientific preservation of the older lot and a gallery showcasing some of the rare books and manuscripts unique to this library, within 6 months. Fingers crossed!
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