Library of Victorian era lies in neglect due to dearth of funds, repair

KENDRAPARA:  As the world mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96,  a public library in Kendrapara town has brought back memories of India’s colonial past. However, owing to a lack of repair and maintenance, the library building now lies in dilapidated condition. 

A condolence meeting was held in the library to mourn Queen Elizabeth II’s death on Friday. Queen Victoria had died just three-and-a-half years after her Diamond Jubilee in January 1901 at the age of 81, said the secretary of the library, Baidyanath Chatterjee. 

The library at the old bus stand was constructed in 1897 as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria. “In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the diamond jubilee of her reign. The history of the 125-year-old  library is linked to the first diamond jubilee celebration of Queen Victoria. In 2012 the British government renovated several old institutions in England and other Commonwealth countries to commemorate the diamond jubilee celebration of Queen Elizabeth II. 

But the library was not given any assistance by Britain or the State government,” said the president of the library Saroj Raj Singh. Singh said financial assistance is required to convert the existing library building into a two-storey edifice. The existing building does not have adequate space to store books and journals. 

Some tidbits 

• Collection of around 15,000 books in English, Odia, Hindi and Bengali 
• The library, now dilapidated, needs a space of its own
• It is considered a signage of grandeur of the past 
• Visitors’ book has name of Odia poet Radhanath Ray (1897) 

Biju Patnaik, Biswabhusan Harichandan,  Radhanath Rath, Matlub Ali, Sarat Kar, erstwhile king of Balasore Baikunth Nath De, noted writers Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo, Santanu Acharchya , Pranabandhu Kar and Bibhuti Patnaik too visited the library