A literary treasure that is breathing since 250 years now, Rampur’s Raza library is indeed iconic in every sense. Notably, the Raza library is one of the oldest libraries of South Asia, functioning under the Government of India owing to its national importance. It treasures work in Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi and Turkish languages of different religions with nearly 17,000 manuscripts. But it is a home to Indo-Islamic learning and arts.
Recently, the library gained attention when Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of Mahindra Group made an unexpected discovery of the hidden gem. The business leader happened to come across a tweet by Sam Dalrymple, a writer associated with William Collins Books in London who had visited India and explored Rampur. The writer shared a beautiful picture of the library calling it “The prettiest library in India.” He even praised the rare manuscript collection in the library that makes it one of the most important literary archives.
Anand Mahindra was in awe of the beauty of the Raza library, prompting him to re-share the tweet admitting to, “That is a magnificent structure. I had absolutely no idea of its existence. I’m embarrassed. By itself, it makes Rampur a must-see destination.” The post has gone viral, leading to a sudden interest among netizens developing a widespread interest in the rich historical legacy of Rampur.
Here is all you need to know about the prettiest library of India:
The history
Located at a 200 km distance from Delhi, the Raza library is located in the Rampur district of Uttar Pradesh. It was founded by the first Nawab of Rampur Nawab Faizullah Khan in 1774 and named after Raza Ali Khan Bahadur who served as the Nawab of Rampur from 1930-1966. The establishment came during a time of internal turbulence with a declining Mughal empire. It is currently sheltered in Hamid Manzil erected by 9th Nawab Hamid Ali Khan known for renovating and reviving the library. It features a beautiful collection of 5000 paintings and palm leaf manuscripts in the different languages. The printed books collection is around 83,000. There are 5,000 specimens of Islamic calligraphy found in the library. The succeeding nawabs were also patrons of literature and art, further ensuring the growth of the institution.
After independence, in 1951 the Raza library came under the control of trust. 25 years later in 1975, the library was taken over by the Government of India through Rampur Raza library act no.22, declaring it an institution of ‘national importance’. The library is also designated as a ‘Manuscript Conservation Center’ in 2003.
The rarest gems at Raza library
The Raza library is home to some of the literary pieces that are rarest gems here. These include:
Valmiki’s Ramayana- The Hindu epic Ramayana written by Valmiki was translated in Persian in 1715. It has 258 miniature paintings inside.
The Holy Quran- Some copies of the Holy Quran are preserved in the Raza library, as many as 500. The rarest of which is by the hands of Ibn Muqla who invented the Nashkh script.
7th century AD Holy Quran written on leather, notably by 4th Caliph Hazrat Ali, along with the handwritten copy by Musa Kazim and another by Hazrat Jafar Sadiq on parchment in early kufic script can also be found in the library. The sacred book has some of the specimens on cloth, copper, hand-made paper too.
Moreover, the Raza library also has Mughal Emperor Akbar’s Holy Quran with his seal and signature of Faizi and the seal of Prince Dara Shikoh.
Diwan-e-Hafiz- The Diwan-e-Hafiz is a collection of poems dating back to 16th century. It has the only known painting that captures Mughal Emperor Akbar’s Mongolian features.
Diwan-e-Babar- It is a manuscript written by Babar in Persian language. It reveals the emperor’s poetic side, with the verses written in his own handwriting.
Jamiut- Tawarikh- An early illustrated Persian work of the 14th century authored by Rashiddudin Fazlullah chronicles the history of Mongol tribes. A reproduced copy of the historical work was presented by PM Modi to Mongolian President in 2015.
All the original manuscripts have been preserved in the Raza library under the Ministry of Culture. The security is looked after by Central Industrial Security force.
Challenges
It has never been easy run for the library. There have been problems time and again for the institution to survive, first during the period of Britishers and then even after independence. Until recently, there has been a continuous shortage with the staff, nearly 10 positions were vacant. Even the director’s position wasn’t filled since 2020. Besides the manpower, there was a need of advanced equipment like large scanners. The digitization of manuscripts also isn’t completely done.
On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the Raza Library, the district administration organized for a year- long celebration in Rampur. The 250th anniversary in 2023 brought in some hope for the library with a grant of Rs 7.2 crore from the central government that has helped in renovation, souvenir shop, cafeteria and installation of necessary equipment.
Sanam Ali Khan, who is the daughter of Hamid Ali Khan continues the legacy of her family as an art conservator at the library, trying to revive and conserve the heritage down the lineage.
The Rampur Raza library is a fascination, a literary haven for scholars, painters, calligraphers and musicians. It is significant in preserving, at the same time dissemination of rare knowledge for the coming generations. Let us make sure that the library thrives, keeping centuries old heritage alive. Anand Mahindra was ver much right in his words, it would be an embarassment for us, if we do not know about this rare gem in India and if we fail to recognise it.