“BOOKS are the carriers of civilisation. Without books history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. ... They are engines of change ... windows on the world and lighthouses erected in the sea of time. They are ... the treasures of mind. Books are humanity in print,” said Barbara Tuchman (1912-1989), the American historian.
Indeed. Books are treasures of mind. But wherever there are treasures, thieves are there. Neglect and apathy seal the fate of treasures. This is what happened to Kutub Khana-i-Sultani, or Sultani Library, a great treasure of rare books established in 1926 at Dera Nawab Sahib in south Punjab. This treasure of mind was neglected and looted callously and was left to rot. And the lighthouses erected in the sea of time submerged in the sewage of greed and ignorance.
Kutub Khana-i-Sultani was one of the libraries the Nawabs of Bahawalpur had established in this former princely state. Dr Ismat Durrani in her book Nawaban-i-riyasat Bahawalpur ke kutub khanon ki tareekh: Kutub Khana-i-Sultani has described the history of the libraries established by the Nawabs of the State of Bahawalpur. Dr Durrani had begun her research on the topic of Persian in the former State of Bahawalpur. During her research work she came across some rare information about Bahawalpur State’s libraries and decided to write a separate book on how great libraries came up in the former State of Bahawalpur — with a special reference to Kutub Khana-i-Sultani — and how they were squandered.
She tells us that Sadiq Mohammad Khan was the first ruler of the State of Bahawalpur who established his rule in 1727. Sadiq Mohammad Khan V was the last ruling nawab as the state was annexed with Pakistan on October 3, 1947, and finally merged with the country on October 14, 1955.
Even in its early periods, the State of Bahawalpur was not devoid of books and libraries. Despite the early political turmoil and battles the rulers established their own personal collections. At different parts of the state, such as Derawar, Dera Nawab Sahib and Bahawalpur, nawabs maintained their libraries. Nawab Sadiq Mohammad Khan IV had established a library at Dera Nawab Sahib but in 1899 the collection was shifted to Bahawalpur’s Noor Palace. Nawab Sadiq Mohammad Khan V got constructed a new and separate building for the library and museum at Dera Nawab Sahib. In 1926, the library, named Kutub Khana-i-Sultani, with all its rare books, antiques and manuscripts, began functioning under a team of competent staff members.
Nawabs had spent a fortune on this collection, generation after generation. Not only had India’s big publishers, such as Naval Kishore, been instructed to send three copies of every book they published, but the nawab would also buy books on his trips abroad. Some private collections too were purchased. Soon the library became a great treasure and scholars and eminent personalities began to visit it, though general public was not allowed to enter.
Many books of the collection have the date on which the book arrived along with the signature of the nawab, which shows the nawab did read books. Some rare manuscripts are hundreds of years old. For example, writes the author, the library held a manuscript of Kashshaaf, a commentary on Quran, which was handwritten in 528 Hijri/1133-34 AD. A copy of Sahih Muslim, an authentic book of hadith, handwritten in 633 Hijri/1236-37, also adorned the library. The library held an extremely valuable collection of thousands of books and manuscripts in many languages and on a variety of subjects.
Nawab Sadiq V died in London on May 24, 1966. Thus began a long-drawn legal battle among the heirs, each claiming the right to the legacy of the nawab, including the books and antiques. In 1967, a commission was formed. The decision of the commission was challenged in court in 1969. The court ordered that the legacy be divided among the heirs. But due to some legal and administrative hurdles, in 1980, the nawab’s properties and assets, including palaces and library buildings, were sealed, says Dr Durrani. And then began the plunder. Not only were the books and manuscripts stolen and sold, many of them were used as fuel to light a fire during the cold winter nights. A large number of books and manuscripts were eaten up by termites.
According to Dr Durrani, finally when the settlement was reached and properties were unsealed, most of the expensive holdings, such as carpets, guns, chandeliers, furniture and paintings, were either badly damaged or stolen. With empty shelves and broken glasses, hundreds of rare books were put on the floor or stacked at several places. A few who could go to visit could not stand there longer because of the stench of bird droppings, dust and damp atmosphere.
The book includes a list of books and manuscripts of Kutub Khana-i-Sultani and some rare pictures. Ismat Durrani teaches Persian at Islamia University, Bahawalpur. Published by Lahore’s Dar-ul-Islam Publishers, the book is a bit expensive and is priced at Rs1,200.
Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2019
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