Factfile
Name:Sarat Smriti Granthagar
Estd: 1956
Address: Village and PO – Panitras, PS – Bagnan
No. of members: 1,029
Membership fees: Rs 2 per month for general members, free for children
Rare books: Collection of old volumes from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s personal library
Panitras in Bagnan is popularly known as Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s home. Not only did Sarat Chandra live here, but his sister’s house was also in Gobindapur, in Bagnan. Sarat Chandra’s house in Panitras is now a tourist attraction and a heritage property. However, there are many other things in this village that are associated with the novelist. The local library is dedicated to him. It was named Sarat Smriti Granthagar by the local people, who started it in 1956. Sarat Mela is held on the ground adjoining the library.
Some of Sarat Chandra’s belongings are also displayed at the library. An inkpot, a porcelain pen holder, an old pair of slippers, a torch, a hukkah and also a small wooden writing table. Although these have heritage value, the library authorities can only afford to keep these things stacked on top of an old cupboard. Interested people can take a look by bringing them down.
Sarat Smriti Granthagar was started by the local people who wanted to promote education in this area. Sarat Chandra being a popular figure at that time, they decided to name the library after him. It started functioning from a mud house in the locality. Some years later, in 1960, a permanent structure came up where the library now stands. In the same year, it became a government-sponsored library and in 1987 it was given the status of a town library. The total membership of the library now stands at 1,029 out of which only 235 are active members. The children’s section has 371 members, most of whom are students of the nearby schools, Panitras Boys’ School and Samta Sarat Chandra Uchha Balika Vidyalaya.
“Almost all students from the two schools come to this library for membership. Since we have a huge collection of reference books, they find it easier to study here,” said Gaurav Guria, a staff at the library. Students find this library useful since many old textbooks that have gone out of print, are available here. “Students studying in college or doing their post graduation in Bengali, often tell us that many of the texts here cannot be found in the market anymore,” said Guria. The library also has a career guidance section, which is useful to those studying for competitive exams.
Although it is a popular library in this part of Howrah, Sarat Smriti Granthagar is operating without a librarian for more than two years. “The librarian and the assistant librarian retired some years back and both positions are lying vacant. A librarian was appointed for a year here in 2011, but after he left, no one has been appointed. The district library authorities are aware of the fact that there is no librarian at our library. However, they have not managed to appoint anyone in this position so far. So it is up to us to run the library on our own,” said Guria. The retired assistant librarian was asked to look into the running of the library, however, he could not continue due to illness.
The library has 11,245 titles. A collection of 133 encyclopaedias, gazettes and other books used by Sarat Chandra has been kept in this library. Copies of the Indian Quarterly Register and Indian Annual Register of 1920, 1925, 1929 and other years, are part of the novelist’s collection. Volumes of Nelson’s Encyclopaedia used by the author are also here. The books have been bound and preserved well. “The Howrah Municipal Corporation has taken initiative in 1999 to preserve these books,” said Guria.
Grants come regularly to the town library. It receives Rs 48,000 as annual grant. In 2010-11, the library received a computer from Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF).
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph, Calcutta / Front Page> Howrah> Story / by Dalia Mukherjee / Friday – December 12th, 2014