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Khuda Baksh Library

by Syed Waris Shere

Sept. 29, 2005



The history of the Oriental Public Library was
written by my father Syed Ahsan Shere, a
historian, the first Curator of Patna Museum and
the Secretary of Khuda Baksh Oriental Public
Library from May 1957 till October 1962. I found
in his memoirs the brief history of this famous
international library which I wish to share with
the people of Bihar and the remarks by some
prominent people who visited this library.



The history of the Oriental Public Library, is
in fact the sum total of the achievement of
Khuda Baksh who, with his wide knowledge,
far-reaching insight into public life, abundant
energy and outstanding success in his
association with people of all classes and
creeds, founded the library. The Library was
opened in October 1891.



In
1925 Mahatma Gandhi visited the library. His
remarks are as follows:




"I heard about this beautiful library nine years
ago, and ever since I have had the desire to
visit it. It has given me great joy to be able
to examine the rich collection of rare books
which the keepers so patiently and so kindly
showed me. The books are works of art. The
magnificent finish and the colouring about the
decorations of al-Koran and Shahnamah are an
eternal feast for the eye. I revere the memory
of the great founder who spared no pains or
money to present India with such a rare
collection".



Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited the Library in
1953 and his remarks are as follows:



"I had long heard of the Khuda Baksh Library and
knew that it was a very fine collection. It was
only this morning that I first visited it and
saw some of its treasures. I found them even
more remarkable than I had expected - and I had
expected much. It was a rare delight to see
these beautiful works of art, which enshrine a
period of India's history. It was a joy and an
education to see these priceless treasures, some
quite unique".




C.V. Raman, a scientist of international repute
visited the library in 1944 and made the
following remarks:



"To describe the contents of this library as a
national possession of which every Indian should
feel proud is to put down a mere truism. I do
not think the education of any Indian complete
who has not seen this great collection and
learnt to appreciate its value and interest".



The first Governor General of the Indian
Dominion, Lord Mountbatten of Burma (1947-1948),
visited the Library in 1948 and remarked as
follows: "A unique collection of which this great country
may justly be proud".



The Library contains a unique collection of the
choicest and rarest manuscripts and pictures
which would do honour to any of the world's
biggest capitals. Patna and Bihar the land of my
ancestors have every reason to be proud of it
and to remember with loving gratitude that great
citizen, the late Maulvi Khuda Baksh Khan, whose
public-spirited generosity made it available to
them.



Syed Ahsan Shere writes, "In India there existed
several well known libraries, but no traces of
these libraries were found after the Mutiny. In
those times of which history has doleful tale to
tell, these libraries were either destroyed or
their books were taken out of the country. Thus
as far as I am aware there are no libraries in
India today, as there are none at Medina, Cairo
or Constantinople. Let us hope that before long
we shall possess a press to multiply the copies
of valuable works and so bring them within the
reach of the reading public. The year the
library was opened it contained 4,000
manuscripts, it is now in the excess of several
thousand. The best collections of any libraries
in the world.



The library further possesses select manuscripts
which formerly belonged to great orientalists
like Desacy, Sir Core Ousely and Blochmann. The
work of Zahrevi on surgery is a manuscript which
requires particular attention. This copy bears
585 A.H. as the date of execution. In this
manuscript the pictures of the surgical
instruments are carefully drawn, and the
similarity which some of the instruments bear to
those which are supposed to be of modern
invention.

Khuda Baksh Library

by Syed Waris Shere

Sept. 29, 2005



The history of the Oriental Public Library was
written by my father Syed Ahsan Shere, a
historian, the first Curator of Patna Museum and
the Secretary of Khuda Baksh Oriental Public
Library from May 1957 till October 1962. I found
in his memoirs the brief history of this famous
international library which I wish to share with
the people of Bihar and the remarks by some
prominent people who visited this library.



The history of the Oriental Public Library, is
in fact the sum total of the achievement of
Khuda Baksh who, with his wide knowledge,
far-reaching insight into public life, abundant
energy and outstanding success in his
association with people of all classes and
creeds, founded the library. The Library was
opened in October 1891.



In
1925 Mahatma Gandhi visited the library. His
remarks are as follows:




"I heard about this beautiful library nine years
ago, and ever since I have had the desire to
visit it. It has given me great joy to be able
to examine the rich collection of rare books
which the keepers so patiently and so kindly
showed me. The books are works of art. The
magnificent finish and the colouring about the
decorations of al-Koran and Shahnamah are an
eternal feast for the eye. I revere the memory
of the great founder who spared no pains or
money to present India with such a rare
collection".



Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited the Library in
1953 and his remarks are as follows:



"I had long heard of the Khuda Baksh Library and
knew that it was a very fine collection. It was
only this morning that I first visited it and
saw some of its treasures. I found them even
more remarkable than I had expected - and I had
expected much. It was a rare delight to see
these beautiful works of art, which enshrine a
period of India's history. It was a joy and an
education to see these priceless treasures, some
quite unique".




C.V. Raman, a scientist of international repute
visited the library in 1944 and made the
following remarks:



"To describe the contents of this library as a
national possession of which every Indian should
feel proud is to put down a mere truism. I do
not think the education of any Indian complete
who has not seen this great collection and
learnt to appreciate its value and interest".



The first Governor General of the Indian
Dominion, Lord Mountbatten of Burma (1947-1948),
visited the Library in 1948 and remarked as
follows: "A unique collection of which this great country
may justly be proud".



The Library contains a unique collection of the
choicest and rarest manuscripts and pictures
which would do honour to any of the world's
biggest capitals. Patna and Bihar the land of my
ancestors have every reason to be proud of it
and to remember with loving gratitude that great
citizen, the late Maulvi Khuda Baksh Khan, whose
public-spirited generosity made it available to
them.



Syed Ahsan Shere writes, "In India there existed
several well known libraries, but no traces of
these libraries were found after the Mutiny. In
those times of which history has doleful tale to
tell, these libraries were either destroyed or
their books were taken out of the country. Thus
as far as I am aware there are no libraries in
India today, as there are none at Medina, Cairo
or Constantinople. Let us hope that before long
we shall possess a press to multiply the copies
of valuable works and so bring them within the
reach of the reading public. The year the
library was opened it contained 4,000
manuscripts, it is now in the excess of several
thousand. The best collections of any libraries
in the world.



The library further possesses select manuscripts
which formerly belonged to great orientalists
like Desacy, Sir Core Ousely and Blochmann. The
work of Zahrevi on surgery is a manuscript which
requires particular attention. This copy bears
585 A.H. as the date of execution. In this
manuscript the pictures of the surgical
instruments are carefully drawn, and the
similarity which some of the instruments bear to
those which are supposed to be of modern
invention.