“Kick me if you don’t get the book you require from this library, ‘my’ library, that is counted amongst the best in Karachi,” says 77-year-old Siddique Hilal who has, since 1952, been running the Hilal Library that is located on Aja Mouji Street opposite the Ismaeli Jamaat Khana and Memon Morbi Tankara Chikla Hall, where Bohra Pir falls to the left and the historical Poona Bhai Tower stands on the right.But what is the secret behind his ability to manage the gruelling task of running a library in a compact, twelve by twelve square feet space? From remembering the proper places of books, to climbing up an eight-foot tall ladder to retrievie heavy bundles of books, to making entries for issued books while suffering from weak eyesight that is further aggravated by frequent power outages, Mr Hilal’s work is by no means a piece of cake.
It is said that enjoyment in childhood, anxiety for one’s livelihood in youth and disease in old age keeps a man busy. Despite currently passing through this difficult third stage of life, librarian Siddique Hilal puts aside his sufferings to tell us his story.
“My name is Muhammad Siddique Essa Bhai Soomra and I belong to the Kutchi Kathiawar community, kya (kya — added at the end of every sentence as a suffix). I was born in Kathiawar in 1934 and did my matriculation from Haji Adamjee Dawood School in Jetpur. The standard of education there was matchless. During my education I also served as editor of Al-Hilal Gujrati magazine that was published by our school management. Gradually the magazine became somewhat a part of my identity so I began to use Hilal along with my name for business purposes.
“At the time of partition, my family migrated via Okha port on a steamer ship and came to Karachi. This ship was reserved by the British government to serve pilgrims but refugees also travelled through it.”
“I started this library from a cabin on the footpath outside the current shop. Initially I only had 75 books. However, after five years, in 1957, I got this shop on rent. The library became popular when my friend, Muhommad Younus, wound up his library and donated his entire collection to me. Urdu literature was also included. Presently the library has a collection of five thousand books which include books on history, religion, travelogues and fiction as well as poetry.
“There was a time when I had more than three hundred members but the number of members now remains within fifty. At first I would charge an Anna a day per book, and now though the rent has increased to Rs10, the terms remain the same. Besides this, readers also have to deposit the worth of a book as security. The Library never closes, during its timings from evening to midnight, whether it rains or storms.”
Hilal is a queer library in the sense that the books are not catalogued. But then how can one obtain his desired book? “First of all, the reader is asked about his literary tastes after which he is accordingly given a book. While running my library I have come in contact with all sorts of readers. Some are appreciatory, some argue, some confuse me and deal cunningly and some don’t pay their dues according to my daily book.
“In better days, Hilal Library had a subscription to eight newspapers in Gujrati and Urdu. But now the number of subscribed newspapers is only two and I have stopped purchasing further books. I can determine how well received any book will be in the market by turning its leaves.
“It doesn’t matter if I have grown old as my mind and heart are still young. I still participate in debates and have recently won the first prize for the debate on “Gujrati ka Pakistan mein mustaqbil”, held in Morbi Tankara Hall. Over these sixty years I have observed that Pakistan has greater number of readers than India, yet Gujrati literature is published there but not in our own country.
”We face every type of crisis in our lives. Neither can a librarian run from them nor can readers, given the circumstances, be expected to continue their interest in reading. Load shedding has greatly affected my business. After all, no-one would bother to attempt reading in the dark, especially after having just gotten over with tiresome business.
“When I was laying the foundations for my library my father advised me not to choose this profession. Now my son tries to stop me. But I will continue my business while I am alive and after me the Muslim Gymkhana will keep my collection safe. I have nourished this interest since I was a child, now it has become sixty years old. How can I wind up now, kya?”