25 Lakh Books Unprotected: India's Unique Library in Peril

The 'Pustaka Mane,' a unique private library established by Padma Shri recipient Anke Gowda, is facing an acute space shortage, jeopardizing its vast collection of over 25 lakh books and magazines. Gowda, 75, has painstakingly built this repository over five decades at his residence in Haralahalli village, Mandya district, Karnataka, transforming it into a free public library.

Currently, more than 15 lakh books are housed within his residence, while an equal or larger number are kept outside due to the lack of space. This precarious situation exposes these invaluable literary works to potential damage from the elements. Gowda has repeatedly sought government assistance for land and financial support to establish a more spacious facility, but no concrete aid has materialized.

The collection is exceptionally diverse, featuring rare and out-of-print books, old newspapers, research journals, and manuscripts in over 20 languages. It notably includes thousands of dictionaries, foreign publications, international magazines, and specific sections dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Ramayana.

Gowda, who relies on a monthly pension of Rs 1,280, continues to maintain the library despite the financial strain. He has requested the government to provide approximately 10 acres of land and financial assistance of around Rs 100 crore to safeguard this priceless repository, which is currently confined to just 33 guntas of land.