In an age where digital libraries are quickly replacing good old book libraries, the National Library In Kolkata not only stands its ground as one of the biggest mammoths in the country but also challenges modern reading methods by offering that one intangible emotion no digital reproduction can ever provide for: The scent of printed media.
The National Library is a bibliophile mecca. The fact that the building itself is a palace that dates its origins to the 18th century AD, adds to its pomp. Spread across a whopping 65000 odd Sq. Ft area, the pristine white structure National library is a crucial part of the swanky Belvedere estate (which, in itself, claims 30 acres) situated in Alipore, Kolkata. What is already an affluent residential hub also has the Belvedere estate and the National Library to brag about.
The immense white building is very reminiscent of British architectural influence in India. And what better place for the National Library of India to call home? Bengal, in general, has always displayed a high affinity towards education, clocking in at an average literacy rate of 80%, with Kolkata ranking 2nd in the state, with an 87.14% literacy rate.
Bengal has produced some of the most proficient and educated leaders of India, including greats like Rabindranath Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, Mahasweta Devi, Satyajit Ray, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Rajshekhar Basu, to name a few.
History and preludes of National Library
The National Library of Kolkata is the largest library in the country in terms of the sheer volume of books and public records stored. And because it falls directly under the purview of the Ministry of Culture, the library has much to show for the centuries gone by. Resulting from the conglomeration of the Public Library of Kolkata (Originally called Calcutta Public Library) and the Imperial Library (A British venture), the National Library is one of the four libraries in India authorized to receive a printed copy of every book/publication ever published anywhere pan India. The National Library Kolkata was officially named so post-independence in 1948 under the Change of Name Act and was made available to the public in 1953 by the then Minister of Education, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
What is also a “recommended” moment here is the fact that the original Public Library of Calcutta was an initiative undertaken by Lord Curzon in an attempt to provide for a free library that would be available to the Public with no strings attached. This was supported by the Library of Congress and the National Library would soon receive close to 2000 volumes offloaded by the Library of Congress. In 3 decades, the National Library would go on to become one of India’s biggest libraries, housing close to 4 lakh volumes.
As such, the original storing location of these manuscripts and books was the Esplanade, a splendid area designated by Sir Warren Hastings as the venue for elegant “walking” parties. The Esplanade is also famed for hosting the first-ever recorded football match between the Calcutta Club of Civilians and the Gentlemen of Barrackpore.
However, as the Imperial Library was disbanded and the name was officially changed to The National Library, all these books were transferred to the present location of Belvedere Estate, Alipore. This would also be renamed once and for all in 1976, going from National Library to the National Library of India.
The Mystery Chronicles of National Library Kolkata
The National Library is an intriguing place with a lot of history associated with the actual building that the library calls home now. A large chunk of information, that was previously elusive, has been uncovered in recent years. Some of these include:
1. ASI (The Archaeological Survey of India) had a vested interest in a hidden chamber that was discovered in 2010, roughly 6 decades after the library was even opened to the public. And because no trapdoor or escape door was found, a lot of rumors floated around for quite some time, including the ones that said it was a torture chamber used by General Hastings, to speculations about this chamber being used as a treasure vault. These rumors were, however, dismissed a year later as the chamber was full of sand, and was assumed it was only to provide structural integrity to the seemingly old building.
2. The library was started off as an NGO/Free for all library. This tradition is upheld to this day.
3. As of today, the national library holds more than 2.2 million books, making it India’s largest library.
4. The absolute first donations in terms of books and publications came from Fort William as a gesture of goodwill. These contained precious manuscripts, maps, and first editions.
The library served as the Governor-General’s residence pre-Independence, adding to its rich heritage.
Present Day Services: National Library of India
The National Library is still in service, catering to the needs of hundreds of thousands of bibliophiles and ardent readers. Some of the modern-day services the National Library of India offers are:
- Books are lent out against a nominal security deposit.
- A microfilm lab is offered as a lucrative reading facility that offers content ranging from rare footage to rare manuscripts.
- Photocopy sections allow readers to take a piece of their favorite works back home in the form of Xerox copies.
- Training and consultancy services are also provided in the National Library, a service that is seldom seen in other libraries.
- The library is open round the year except for national holidays namely Republic day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti.
- A vast e-directory for quick reference links to the content a potential reader might be looking for.
E-resources offered
With changing times, the National Library has also adapted to modern methods to cater to the needs of everyone irrespective of age. Some of these resources include:
- A whopping 25000 digitized books and documents.
- A mammoth collection of early English books under the moniker Early English Books Online (EEBO) that houses a collection of books published between the late 1400s to the early 1700s.
- A monstrous collection of close to 28 lakh dissertations from over 700 academic institutions from around the world.
- 7000 research journals from all disciplines are added to the database each year.
Sightseeing and Tourism
Apart from being the largest library in the country, the National Library of India also houses every book published in the country, hence acting as a legal deposit library of India.
The National Library is also flanked by high-rise hotels and restaurants and other sight-seeing haunts.
- Sonargaon
- Chinoiserie
- CAL-27
- Bhawanipore cemetery
- Victoria memorial hall
- St. Paul’s cathedral.
Main building and membership of National Library
The reading halls, in themselves, can house over 500 people, which gives you a rough idea of how huge the library is. It also shares premises with the absolutely breath-taking tajbengal hotel and zoological garden. The library itself houses a small museum, offers an exhibition show that displays the history of India in symbols, and another one that presents the stories of freedom fighters hailing from Bengal, which is nothing short of international quality.
The rarest of manuscripts are kept in an airtight vault to ensure longevity and quality preservation of the metaphorical “pages of history”, only here, the age-old saying is quite literal. The National Library also houses an art gallery, which, at first glance, might not be advertised.
The National Library requires quite a bit of paperwork to be filled in before you even begin to start talking about books. Entry into the Library requires a membership. If you are a tourist, and are there for just a day or two and do not see it wise to avail the membership, you will have to go through strict security measures and protocols, fill out a form, await approval, and then you can go take a peep at the actual Belvedere Hall or take a stroll in the lush green rolling lawns. Once inside, photography is strictly prohibited, and absolute silence is advocated, which makes this place something tourists should be very thoughtful of while drafting their travel plans.
However, the library is open in a very convenient window of time, starting at 9 A.M. every day to 8 P.M. However, reader’s passes are only issued from 11 A.M to 1 P.M and again from 3 P.M. to 4 P.M.
Property pricing
Alipore, as an area in general, is extremely high-rise and posh. Most of Kolkata’s politicians reside in Alipore, which makes the property prices in this area utopian. Owing to its rich heritage, history, and the fact that Alipore has witnessed a lot of British activity, Alipore ranks up there in terms of socio-economic value. Some might even compare it to Beverly Hills, Hollywood, sans the film stars. A rough estimate would be up to 23000 INR per Sq. Ft. Utopian. In short, if one wishes to buy the National Library of India on the whole, we are looking at a price tag ranging anywhere between 125 crores to 127 crores, and this is excluding the fact that it is tagged by the ASI as a cultural heritage site of utmost historical importance.
The scope of growth is limited as the Belvedere Estate, the Esplanade, and the neighbouring areas are listed as areas of cultural and historical importance, which means apart from routine maintenance jobs, the possibility of a complex, or a society, is near impossible. Bungalows are an exception.
Although access to the actual Belvedere Estate is limited, Alipore’s connectivity is unparalleled, as it sits at the very heart of Kolkata, with broad roads leading out to virtually every corner of the city. The area is also power-packed with 5-star hotels, high-quality restaurants, eateries, and enough sightseeing spots to keep a potential tourist on his/her toes the whole day.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Where is the National Library of India located?
The National Library of India is situated in the sprawling Belvedere Estate of Alipore, Kolkata.
Is the National Library of India a new library?
No. The library was formed when the Public Library of Calcutta and the Imperial Library formed a conglomeration. The library was named the National Library in the year 1948 and was made accessible to the common public in 1953 by former Union Minister for Education, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Can I access the library without a membership?
Access can be gained by filling in a form and going through some security checks. However, readers will require a membership to gain access to books. The membership fees, in general, is pretty nominal
Can I take pictures of books/some pages that I would like to read at my convenience?
No. Photography is strictly prohibited. And this is a blanket rule. There are no exceptions as the library houses a lot of rare manuscripts that are inaccessible to the outside world.
How many books does the National Library of India have as of today?
The National Library of India, situated in the Belvedere Estate of Alipore, Kolkata, houses close to 22 lakh books, with facilities that other libraries are not entitled to. Some of these include:
a. The National Library of India is entitled to receive a copy of any book published in India.
b. The National Library received close to 7000 research papers and journals from major educational establishments.
c. The National Library is one of the four libraries in India designated for the collection, storing and dissemination of documents/books/manuscripts in India.
d. The National Library is probably one of the oldest libraries in the country that is still in service, and a lot of its first bookkeeping entries come from offloads from the then Governor General of India. This offload included rare manuscripts, first editions, and publications that one cannot find now.
