The document discusses the legacy of the Bengal Renaissance in the development of public libraries in India during British colonial rule. It notes that modern universities established in the 19th century led to an awakening in Bengal and the emergence of an educated generation who became leaders in social reform movements. Many public libraries were established during this time with community support. These libraries played an important role in society as community spaces for debates and raising awareness against British rule. The legacy of the Bengal Renaissance continues to influence library development in the state of West Bengal where many century old libraries remain concentrated in Kolkata and surrounding areas.

1. The Legacy of Bengal Renaissance in Public
Library Development in India during the
Colonial British Rule: A Historiographical
Study
Anup Kumar Das
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
Presented at
International Conference History of Librarianship
25-26 August 2014

2. Introduction
 The 19th and 20th century Bengal was a nerve centre with hosts of socio-cultural
and religious reform movements due to early association of secular liberal western
education.
 University of Calcutta, established on 24 January 1857, became the first modern
university in South Asia.
 Later University of Bombay and University of Madras were established in the same
year 1857.
 Incidentally, the year 1857 is better known for India’s first struggle for independence
or Indian Mutiny (also called the Great Rebellion of India, the Revolt of 1857, the
Uprising of 1857 or the Sepoy Mutiny), from the British colonial ruler – the East India
Company.
 British colonial rule helped expansion of these universities with affiliated colleges
across the country.
 Modern institutions of higher learning, established by colonial British rulers,
European missionaries and also by contemporary social reformers, led to the
awakening of Bengali educated communities.

3. Introduction
 With modern and secular education, the country saw the emergence of a learned,
enlightened and educated new generation of youths.
 Many of them became key actors in socio-cultural and religious reform movements
in Bengal and other parts of the country.
 The Bengal Renaissance started in the nineteenth century and continued till early
twentieth century in undivided India's Bengal province.
 European scholars based in India and attached with the Asiatic Society of India and
other learned institutions also supported Bengal’s reform movements.
 During the British colonial period many public libraries got established.
 Some of them were established with community efforts, without bothering
patronage of local colonial rulers.
 Few others received support from the local rulers.
 The public libraries which got supports of the local communities flourished with
diversified services.
 Public libraries become a community space for social functions, intercultural
interactions, debating on contemporary burning issues, and sometimes with political
motives of raising awareness against awful governance and anti-people stances of
the British colonial rulers.

4. Introduction
 The colleges produced learned actors or supporters of
Bengal Renaissance movement include:
 Fort William College, 1800
Serampore College, 1818
 Hindu College, 1817 (rechristened Presidency College in 1855)
 Sanskrit College, 1824
Scottish Church College, 1830 (as General Assembly's Institution/
Duff College)
 St. Xavier's College, Calcutta, 1860

5. Study Results

6. Century Old Libraries in the state of West Bengal
 West Bengal Public Library Network (WBPLN), under the Mass Education Extension and Library
Services Department, Government of West Bengal, maintains a list of Century Old Libraries in the
state.
 It covers about 81 libraries. Most of the century-old libraries are concentrated around Kolkata
metropolitan city, due to the legacy of Bengal Renaissance. Later, public libraries were established in
other districts of the Bengal Province.

7. Concentration of Century Old Libraries in West Bengal
Surrounding City of Calcutta
Bengal Districts in the Early 20th Century

8. Distribution of Century Old Libraries in West Bengal

9. Distribution of Century-old Libraries based on Year of
Establishment

10. Distribution of Century-old Libraries based on
Management Type

11. Some Other Observations
 WBPLN maintains ICT-enabled online referral services for directing library users to public
libraries in their neighbourhood.
 WBPLN is trying to fulfil the WSIS Target 4: Connect all public libraries, museums, post
offices and national archives with ICTs. However, in many other states situation is not
conducive enough.
 Many of the Century Old Libraries presently have private or community-based management,
and have opted out from the Government aid, due to retaintion of their autonomy.
 Many of these Century Old Libraries In West Bengal were associated with various social
movements or founded as outcomes of religious reform movements, and freedom struggle.
 Some public libraries initiated unique service of free reading rooms, for the young members,
which give conducive learning space to students who don't have access to electricity at
home or don't have adequate space for serious reading/ learning.
 Some of these reading rooms have already completed centenary years, e.g., Ram Mohan
Library & Free Reading Room, Kolkata (e. 1904), Bagbazar Free Reading Library, Kolkata (e.
1907), Konnagar Public Library & Free Reading Room, Hooghly (e. 1858). They are
continually serving young users for more than a century.

12.  Digital Repository of West Bengal Public Library Network, launched on 12th August 2010, provides
open access to full text of rare books, mainly Bengali books and books produced during British
colonial period.
 Many copyright-free (out of copyright) rare books were selected from various century-old public
libraries in West Bengal.
 Presently it hosts about 18000 digitized books, which are presently in public domain.

13. Influence of Religious Reforms Movements
 The religious reform movements in Bengal that influenced
establishment community libraries during 20th century across the
country, particularly in Bengal province:
 Brahmo Samaj movement, since 1828
Ramakrishna Mission Movement, 1897

14. • Sadharan Brahmo Samaj Library, founded on 13th April 1895 by the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj.
• One of the prominent religious reformist institutions during the Bengal Renaissance period.
• Many of the key personalities of Bengal Renaissance were born Brahmo Samaj followers.
• •
Brahmo Samaj helped in expansion of school and college education during 19th and 20th centuries.
• It was also pioneer in introducing formal women education in the country. Later formal women
education for the natives was expanded to whole Indian sub-continent.

15. Influence of other Social Movements
 The Swadeshi Movement
• Swadeshi movement became a nationalist awakening movement against
the British colonial rule in India
 In this movement youths got socio-politically motivated for greater
participation in nation-building by following the principles of swadeshi (self-sufficiency).
 Swadeshi movement became precursor to Indian independence movement,
and helped in flourishing swadeshi enterprises in Bengal province.
 Many Revolutionary Societies were founded in Bengal province around the
time of Swadeshi movement.
 Many of these groups became underground, while maintaining collection of
revolutionary literatures collected from different parts of the world. Their
politically motivating literatures helped in inspiring the youngsters in
achieving freedom from the British rule.
 Many of them maintained libraries for inspiring their youth members towards
freedom fight against British colonial rule.

16. Influence of Swadeshi and Revolutionary Movements
Historian Sumit Sarkar observes:
 From the very beginning, the societies tried to combine physical culture with moral and intellectual training.
The Calcutta Anushilan is said to have had a library of 4000 books, a list of 230 titles in the collection of the
Mymen-singh Suhrid Samiti has been preserved in the home political files, and these and other samitis had
a system of regular classes. The intellectual influences were extremely diverse. … Jogendranath
Vidyabhusan's numerous biographies of Mazzini, Garibaldi, and other patriotic leaders, both Indian and
foreign, seem to have been almost as important as Anandamath itself; more direct contacts with
revolutionary movements abroad were provided by the life of Mazzini, Irish nationalist literature and
Kropotkin's works presented by Nivedita. Interest in radical movements and 'revolutions', no less sincere for
being so beautifully eclectic and vague, led some early recruits further afield—thus Deuskar asked his
Anushilan Samiti pupils to try to obtain literature on socialism from the Imperial Library, and despite the
librarian's discouragement, Bhupendranath was able to get from there a book by Hyndman.
 … Home department files preserve a printed report issued by the Suhrid Samiti, covering the years 1900-06.
Established originally as a centre for the physical and moral training of young men, it started giving special
attention from its second year to "the sole use of country made goods", and organised annual Shivaji
festivals from 1902 onwards. … The Samiti had by this time a regular system of training for its members.
There were lectures, discussion meeting once a week, as well as physical culture and drill. The library of the
Samiti had 230 books when the police raided it in November 1908; these included lives of Cromwell,
Washington and Napoleon, Condemned as a Nihilist, Nabya Japan and several books on Ramkrishna and
Vivekananda. The oath the volunteers had to take emphasised moral virtues, swadeshi and defence of caste
and religion.

17.  Calcutta Public Library (CPL), established in 1836 with private membership
 Imperial Library, established in 1891 combining a number of secretariat libraries in Calcutta
 CPL amalgamated with Imperial Library in 1903 and expanded for the use of the public
 Renamed as National Library of India in 1953, dedicated to the Nation
 One of the colonial establishments influenced various actors of Bengal Renaissance for
indigenous knowledge creation and creation of neo-classical Bengali literature

18.  North Bengal State Library was established in 1869 by the British Commissioner;
later handed over to the local ruler Maharaja Nripendra Narayan. In the year 1882
the library was opened for public use.
 J.W. Troten in his book India under Victoria speaks of this library, “the little State of
Cooch Behar on Assam border could be act of a library richer than any to be found
in Bengal out side Calcutta”.

19. Concluding Remarks
 Public library was considered as most appropriate public space for
engagement with local communities and to attract them in public discourses.
 Newly emerged educated liberal and empowered Bengali intellectuals had
started establishment of scholarly societies, youth associations and public
libraries across the undivided Bengal province.
 Many renowned public libraries were founded during the period of Bengal
Renaissance.
 In every district, public libraries got established with support from the local
communities.
 Public libraries also helped in development of literacy of local communities,
inculcating reading habits to first generation learners, inculcating scientific
temper and overall transformation of character of Bengali-speaking
communities.
 The legacy of Bengal Renaissance had overarching impact on lives of billion
peoples rippling beyond the 19th and 20th century timeframes.

20. Acknowledgement
IFLA
Enssib.fr, and
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Thank You
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