Know Your City: Since 1912, an Oasis of Urdu and Persian Literature has been Nestled Among Shivajinagar's Congested Alleyways

Discover Bengaluru's hidden gem, the Muslim Library, safeguarding a unique collection of 35,000 Urdu and Persian books for more than a century.

on Oct 16, 2023

Know Your City: Since 1912, an Oasis of Urdu and Persian Literature has been Nestled Among Shivajinagar's Congested Alleyways

Mohammad Altaf, a librarian in Bengaluru's Shivajinagar, has been keeping an eye on a rare collection of over 35,000 books at the Muslim Library for the past 23 years.

The Shivajinagar bylanes in Bengaluru are bustling with people and the sounds of shops and automobiles. Every now and then, one comes across a structure that must have been built during the British era, if not earlier, with stained wood and faded tiling suggestive of a style no longer seen in most sections of the city. It is probably fitting that Bengaluru's most valuable collection of Urdu and Persian literature is hidden in plain sight in this portion of the city. Visitors are greeted at Number 8, Veerapillai Street, by a trio of stores selling shoes and other things, and a plain entrance situated between them conceals a stairway that leads to the Muslim Library, which has been in operation since 1912.

The veteran librarian Mohammad Altaf behind his desk is likely to be the first thing one notices among the rows of volumes on the shelves. He's been in the library for 23 years, guarding a collection of roughly 35,000 books in Urdu and Persian (along with a smaller number of works in other languages) that are often decades or even centuries old.

Urdu literary figures pay visits

The library has had many distinguished visitors throughout the years, including 'Baba-e-Urdu' Moulvi Abdul Haq in 1937, one of the leading Urdu literary luminaries of the pre-Independence era. Before him, in 1931, one of the prominent leaders of the Khilafat movement, Maulana Shaukat Ali, paid a visit. Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, who composed "Saare Jahaan se Accha" two years ago, also graced the space. Guest book entries from all of these celebrities and more have been kept at the library, and researchers continue to visit.

The library was founded in 1912 by a group of local intellectuals led by Khan Mahmud Khan, author of the 'Saltanat-e-Khudadad,' one of the most important Urdu histories of Tipu Sultan. The current structure dates from 1970, although the library has remained in its original location.

"These days, we mostly get lecturers and students coming to the library," says librarian Altaf, "especially those doing PhD in Urdu." We don't get as many visitors these days, thanks to the internet, but there are still at least seven or eight library members who come here every day. We have Urdu translations of the Mahabharata, Quran, Gita, and the Bible among our books."

Books are only provided to members, and older volumes are securely stashed away on the shelf. Altaf displays the collection's breadth by selecting a random book off the rack, which turns out to be an Urdu poetry volume published in 1930.

The library also appeared in 'The Sword of Tipu Sultan,' one of the most popular TV shows of the early 1990s. Altaf claims that actor-director Sanjay Khan came here to use the 'Saltanat-e-Khudadad as a reference point for the serial's storyline.

Over the years, Urdu fans in the city have discovered this to be their primary learning environment. Rizvi, the treasurer of the library trust, recalls coming to the library as a student in the 1970s to read general knowledge volumes in Urdu. It has also lasted as an independent institution without outside funding, surviving on subscription fees and rents from the shops on the ground floor of the building.

For Rs 1,500, the library offers lifelong subscriptions. On all days except Fridays, the library is open from 10am to 12 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.