By M Naushad Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: Chairman of Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts, Acharya Kishore Kunal, said that Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library authorities helped him a lot while doing research for his upcoming book, ‘Ayodhya: Revisited’, and added that it was due to the library authorities that he was able to decipher the Mughal ‘farmaans’ that indicated that six bighas of land was given to the Hanumaan Garhi in Ayodhya during the reign of Akbar.
While delivering his speech on August 2 during two day exhibition of ancient manuscript and paintings he appreciated the library’s rich academic and archival legacy.
Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library
Close to the banks of the Ganges, in Patna, stands the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, a unique repository of about 21000 Oriental manuscripts and 2.5 lakh printed books. Though founded earlier, it was opened for public in October, 1891 by the illustrious son of Bihar, Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh, with 4,000 manuscripts, of which he inherited 1,400 from his father, Maulvi Mohammed Bakhsh.
It is one of the richest repositories of intellectual as well as cultural heritage of south and central Asia, preserved in the form of manuscripts written on paper, palm leaves, deer skin, cloth and sundry materials.
Acknowledging the immense historical and intellectual value of its rich and valued collection, the Government of India declared the Library an Institution of National Importance by an Act of Parliament in 1969. The Library is now fully funded by the Ministry of Culture (Govt. of India).
The exhibition was organized by the library on its premises to mark the birth anniversary of its founder Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh. The oldest manuscript on display at the exhibition was in botany and dates back to 11th century AD. The manuscript, written in Naskh script, contains miniature paintings of medicinal plants, herbs and reptiles.
Since it is a rare manuscript, its photocopy was on display at the exhibition. It was translated from Latin to Arabic during the regime of Mamun Rashid in Baghdad. Another manuscript, which is also rare, “Kitabal-Tasrif”, was written by Abdul Qasim Zohrawi in 1710 AD. The book is on surgery and contains miniature paintings of surgical instruments. Several miniature paintings on Hinduism including,
Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita (both published in 18th Century AD), were also on display. The Ramayana written by Tulsi Das was also put on display.
State Home Secretary Aamir Subhani, a regular visitor to the library and UPSC topper in 1987, while inaugurating the exhibition, said, “I have been coming to this library since 1978 when I was pursuing my graduation. I owe much of what I have achieved in my life to this library.”
Assistant librarian, Jawed Ashraf, said that the publication wing of the library publishes a quarterly research journal besides reprinting old and rare books. The descriptive catalogue of the library can be accessed on its website www.kblibrary.bih.nic.in and added that the library has a rich collection of over 21,000 manuscripts and over 6,000 paintings. The selection of items for future display was in progress, he added.
(M Naushad Ansari is Gen. Secretary, Peace Foundation, Patna)