177-YEAR-OLD TREASURE TROVE
Professor of Literature from the French Lyce’e of Pondicherry M.Bourdat while writing on reconstruction of history is candid in admitting that“ it would be tedious to revel exclusively in stones and inscriptions. There remain texts, not only more lively than stones but often valuable monuments themselves”. To look into these texts there cannot be a better place than the Library named after French scholar Romain Rolland, a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi.
The Romain Rolland Library next to Pondicherry Raj Niwas is a treasure trove of knowledge. With 3,38,304 books in its possession this heritage of Pondicherry which enables “a stimulating contact with manuscripts” and its possessions must be preserved. The care that is taken towards buildings and the money that flows towards architecture related projects must be diverted to knowledge based projects and perseverance of the rare manuscripts. But fortunately it is the French institutions that are still working in the right direction, whereas Government institutions have woken up to the demands of times only recently. National Mission for Manuscripts has launched a week long campaign beginning from November 2004 for digitizing History.5000 surveyors at the rate of 50 per districts will be combing 100 districts spread across various states to search for manuscripts. Sudha Goplakrishnan, Director of the Mission in a press story had asserted “ at the end of their effort, there will be no manuscript which the mission would not have for digitization”. All districts of Karnataka and Orissa are lucky to be included in this mission in the peninsular India. The other states have missed the bus in the South. After the private initiative of Tamizh Thatha U.Ve.Swaminatha Iyer, there has been no governmental effort to collect rare manuscripts of Tamil language. Now that UDA Government had declared Tamil as classical language efforts to add Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry into this 100 District’s list must be taken up. Many century old palm leaf manuscripts still remain at certain homes, before all could be lost they should be digitized” says Dr.Era.Thirumurugan of the Tamil Development Action Group, Pondicherry. To begin with we have to “ reinvent our history by preserving the rare collection of Books in the Romain Rolland Library. Around 27000 rare collection of books are there in Romain Rolland Library or to be precise it should be so, though the task of tracing the missing and damaged books is on to have an update of facts before feeding them into computers” says Murugappan, The Library Information Officer. All rare books in French, English and Tamil related to India had more or less been microfilmed says that unit’s assistant Noble.
Out of3, 38, 304 books in the Library, Tamil section has 1,20,000 books and English literature to the tune of 1.75,000. In the reference section 22,300 books and in Children’s library 40,000 books are there. Thorough mobile service 3000 books and mini mobile service 1500 books are reaching the reading public. The State Government of Pondicherry provides every year Rs. 4 to 6 lakhs of funds. And the new purchases for the year 2003-2004 is 4254 books. “ Local writers with political clout or other contacts are pushing their books while many deserving UNESCO publications are not being bought” commented N.J.Karthikeyan Sub Editor of Sun News (Tamil) who hails from Pondicherry. Rajaram Mohan Ray Library Foundation of Kolkatta has so far provided 18422 books under non-matching scheme free of cost. “ Efforts must be taken to reach out to various other similar foundations abroad to get books free for enlightening the knowledge of Pondicherrians” opines DrA.Arivunambi Head of the Department of Tamil at Pondicherry University.
It appears that out of existing 300000 books around 45000 books have to be declared condemned books and replaced. Among the 54 branch libraries in Pondicherry 4,30,000 books are there and in it 35,000 books are to be condemned. Existing books are too facing threats from insects and the entire Library must be centrally air conditioned along with periodical chemical and other treatments to keep bookworms and other insects away. Years of neglect had come to an end with the Aegean stables being cleared under the dynamic vision of B.V.Selvaraj I.A.S, Secretary Arts & Culture with the able assistance of a knowledgeable Director Miss N.Sumathi.
The Heritage of a town is not all of its buildings. It is the priceless manuscripts, inscriptions, archeological artifacts, copper plates, tombstones, rock art, folklore and paintings that is preserved in Museums and Libraries which brings to light many hidden facts about our heritage. If a country or town fails to protect its books and rare manuscripts whatever recorded history we have till date will be lost The Library Movement in Pondicherry began with the Bibliotheque on 1 st May 1827.The library initially was near the Railway Station, then later shifted to Romain Rolland Street where the mint was functioning. Next To Raj Niwas in the current location it functions from 1974. With the advent of age of information and technology after 177 years this library is planning to digitalizing books, manuscripts and all information and placing them in the net-world for the scrutiny of one and all.
In Pondicherry fortunately because of the French rule lot of French books have been housed in the Romain Rolland Library. In post merger phase with India, the replacement of English in the place of French, had led to the neglect of that language and its rare collection of books. “Catalogue General” a compilation of rare books in Romain Rolland Library written by Madame Yvonne Robert Gaebele and published by Pondicherry Government in 1960 is yet to see a reprint or up date.”Despite humidity the parasites and the rough casualness in the treatment of the volumes precious editions have survived.,” opined M.Bourdat in his book 18 th Century Pondicherry. Till very recently a French knowing librarian was not there and decades of ignorance of the French books in the Library has led to lot of loss to the priceless collections. The newly inducted lady assistant who knows French is courteous and helping researchers with adequate information. Not only that many valuable manuscripts were handed over to National Archives unnecessarily, instead of preserving here. After decades of neglect the current Librarian Murugappan had started to put the house in order amidst rising expectations from research scholars. Is Treasure safe? Custodians of the trove must ponder and plug the loopholes.
Courtesy : The New Indian Express
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