Seraj Anwar/Patna

Asia’s largest Islamic library Khuda Bakhsh Oriental LibraryKutubhana Khudabkhsh faces threat from a road project that seeks to eat into a portion of its iconic building in Patna, Bihar.

The 100-year old Khuda Bakhsh Library is the second largest library in the Islamic world and a heritage building. The largest Islamic library is in Turkey.

The Bihar government is planning to build a double-decker elevated flyover close to decongest the city. The 2.2 km long flyover is being built at a cost of Rs 369 crore by the Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation Limited to decongest the traffic in the capital.

Since a portion of the library is coming in its route, the Corporation has sought a no-objection certificate from the library management for razing e a portion of the library building. Officials of Bihar State Bridge Construction Corporation have also visited the library.

Shaista Bedar

Shaista Bedar, Director, Khuda Bakhsh Library, told Awaz-the Voice, "We are not against development, but the library is an important heritage, it is the responsibility of the government to take care of it. There is talk of building a bridge by demolishing the front part of Khudabkhsh. This will end the grandeur of the library,”

As per the flyover’s plan the front portion and the Curzon Reading room of the library has to be demolished.

Curzon Reading Room of the Library that was built in 1905, has been declared a protected heritage by UNESCO. This library is a historic place that has been visited by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Lord Curzon, scientist CV Raman, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, President Abdul Kalam.

This library has the world's best collection of Islamic literature. Researchers from all over the world come here to make use of the rare collections of Urdu, Persian and Arabic texts housed here.

As per the construction plan, besides the 100-year-old Curzon reading room and the front portion, the entire laws in its front and the boundary wall will have to go.

Shaista Bedar says the plan will scar the building and demolishing the front portion would be akin to defacing it.  She has written a letter to the District Commission of Patna, asking the authorities to find an alternative plan for the road and leave this heritage building untouched.

Governor of Bihar and ex-officio head of the Khuda Bakhsh Library Board, Fagu Chauhan, has advised the state government and the District Magistrate of Patna to find a way to save the library while constructing the flyover.

Chandrashekhar Singh

Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said that the decision on the library managements plea is yet to be taken. “The (Flyover) project is final; however, the construction can state only after getting the NOC.” He said.

Presiding over the board meeting last month, Governor Chauhan assured that every possible effort will be made for the development and modernization of this world-famous Oriental library.

Fagu Chauhan

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has appealed to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to save the library. JK Lal, Convenor of INTACH's Patna Chapter, says that we have to save this library. He said the INTACH can even approach the Court to save it and also launch a public campaign to oppose the proposed demolition of the library.

Amitabh Kumar Das

Archaeologists, litterateurs, book lovers have said the plan of the flyover has been made without considering the sensitivities and pride attached to the library. Former IPS Amitabh Kumar Das has written a letter to the Principal Secretary of the bridge construction corporation, saying that as a book lover, he was deeply shocked.

Voices of protest at Bihar government decision is also being raised across India and abroad. Ashfaq Rahman, the national convener of the Janata Dal Nationalist, has appealed to the bibliophiles of the world to speak up against it and ‘save the Taj mahal of knowledge and culture.”