Bibliophiles are not attracted by anything but books. And for book lovers, there is nothing better than a peaceful environment perfect for concentrating on the words. Libraries are the malls that bibliophiles enjoy the most. There are so many libraries across India, but on the occasion of National Library Week, Mad4India has listed some of the must-visit libraries in India that nobody should miss!
Must-visit places for bibliophiles
1. The Floating Library
Everybody knows about the floating post office located on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, but do you know about India’s first floating library?
Well, India launched its first floating library on a boat in Kolkata on the Hooghly River. West Bengal’s floating library has more than 500 books in three different languages: Hindi, English, and Bengali. This floating public library picks you up from Millennium Park for a 3-hour ride to enjoy the pleasant ambiance and discover the treasure trove of the boat. You cannot miss this floating public library on National Library Day!
2. The library is in the middle of nowhere!
A 73-year-old man, P.V Chinnathambi, owns a mud-walled shop library in the middle of Kerala’s Edamalakudi village. His library might be tiny with only 160 books inside, but his initiative of converting a tea stall into a library is very big. He thought of transforming his village and provided commendable works by some famous writers like Kamala Das. When in Kerala, make sure to visit this tea stall public library.
3. An Underground Library in India
The Thar Desert is a major tourist attraction in Rajasthan, India but do you ever wonder what is beneath the heated sand pile of the great Thar Desert? There is a silent public library under it. Well, the biggest catch of this public library is not that it is under the Thar desert, but that it is Asia’s biggest underground library spreading over 50,000 square feet. This public library has over 2 lakh books and is a must-visit on a trip to Rajasthan, as it is a quiet and peaceful place for all the bibliophiles to focus.
4. Ghoda Library
Nainital’s 29-year-old Shubham Badhani started a unique initiative by opening a Ghoda library in India. This is not a big library in any institution or a big building but on the back of a horse. It is a unique concept, as nobody could have thought of it before. In the remote areas of Uttarakhand where schools are not accessible by all, this Ghoda library is bringing education to all the underserved kids.
It is always surrounded by all the excited kids from the underserved areas who pick their favorite books from the horse’s back, sit in a circle on the green grass and read together loudly. Isn’t this something completely unique?
5. The Biggest Library in India
Indian literary history dates back to centuries and over the years, our country has produced many manuscripts and records to be cherished in the future. There is a treasure trove of masterpiece books in India that have every piece of information you could ever desire to know.
The National Library of India, located in Kolkata, is one of the biggest libraries in India. This public library is the largest by volume and record, with a collection of approximately 2.5 million books in 15 different languages. This biggest library in India is hard to overlook when on a trip to Kolkata.
6. Connemara Library
The Connemara Public Library in India is located in Chennai. It is also one of the biggest libraries in India, with the unique description that this is a library for visually impaired people. Anybody might be fascinated by the idea of visiting a great public library and spending hours there reading a book like Bibliophiles. But not all are blessed with two beautiful eyes.
This public library in Chennai is a national depository, receiving manuscripts and books from all over India and the UN as well. The most attractive feature of this public library is that it produces a copy of all the books in braille for all visually impaired people.
7. Oldest Library in India
An ancient building with classic red-white architecture is what the oldest library in India looks like. Situated in Thiruvananthapuram, the State Central Library is India’s oldest library, standing strong since the 18th century. As it was built during the reign of the British, it had only English books and was exclusively open to elites and British officers.
But the locals opposed it, and later it was incorporated with several regional and Hindi books, transforming it into a great public library. The architectural aesthetics of this library is hard to skip so for all the bibliophiles, it is a must-visit!
We hope that you soon cut off these places from your bucket list and do let us know if you have visited any of these before. Comment down below if you are going to these libraries anytime soon. Happy Reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public libraries are there in India?
India has a rich history in terms of literature and manuscripts. There is a total of 54,856 public libraries in India.
Which is the best public library for kids in India?
There are so many children-friendly libraries in India like Delhi Public Library, Connemara Public Library, Allahabad Public Library and so on.
Is there any library for the blinds in India?
The national library dedicated officially to the blinds is located on Rajpur Road in Dehradun. However, you can also visit the Connemara library as it keeps a copy of the available books in braille language suitable for all blind people.
If the unique libraries of India attract your attention well then do give a read to the 5 Most Unique Indian Train Station You Should Not Miss While Travelling!
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