Celebrations have kicked off with a foundation memorial week at this favourite destination for city book lovers which has successfully steered careers of generations .
David Sassoon Library, the iconic Library and Grade I Gothic heritage structure at South Mumbai's Kala Ghoda, where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar gave finishing touches to the final draft of the Indian Constitution is all set to observe its 150th foundation day.
Celebrations have kicked off with a foundation memorial week at this favourite destination for city book lovers which has successfully steered careers of generations pursuing diverse academic and technical courses. This landmark library still has over 3,000 members, (2,500, life members and 500 plus ordinary members) who still have access to its rare collection of 70,000 books will witness several programmes, skits, talks and plays featuring public and social issues of importance.
From a play highlighting the devastating effects of narcotics by Dr. Rajesh Sakhare to the evolution of forensics in crime investigation by Rashmi Oza - Head of Law Department Mumbai University, importance of stress management, musical concert, flute recital programme, poetry narration in Gujarati and Marathi, form the highlights of the itinerary of the memorial week. The week shall also see a lecture on yoga and pranayam by Shrikant Barve following which medicinal plant saplings will be distributed to participants. A film on David Sassoon, the founder of the library, by Arvind Dave, is also being screened. In a historic first, the week-long celebrations are being live-streamed on the Facebook homepage of David Sassoon Library.
“Fully digitized, our books have been catalogued on our website which makes it easy for readers to search and register for their preferred literary works online. We will also be setting up a kiosk for easing procedure of seeking books by providing for a brief description of the book and summarizing the contents of the front and back page. Our immediate priority is to undertake repairs on an urgent basis to this structure for which we have received around Rs28 lakh from the Kala Ghoda Association. Since the edifice is a heritage structure, we shall have to secure special permissions from the heritage department, the process for which has been initiated,” stated the president of the library’s managing committee, Hemant Bhalekar.
Not many are aware that the library has one of the biggest gardens in South Mumbai, an island of peace and tranquillity in the midst of a bustling city metropolis, which is enjoyed by the members. “In order to extend the benefit of the library to a maximum number of people, particularly youngsters, the membership fee has been reduced to Rs 2,000 per year,” Bhalekar told DNA and added, “The library has taken special measures to ensure its senior citizen members are not inconvenienced. For pensioners who cannot climb stairs, newspapers are kept on the ground floor and chairs have been arranged in the corridor for them to have a relaxed time and read.”
Echoing him, library managing committee secretary, Swati Kapadia said: “To benefit those pursuing a career in civil services, we plan to organise lectures of past members who have successfully cleared UPSC and MPSC exams. The seniors will share experiences and provide guidance on tackling exam pressure and becoming better civil servants.”
She also highlighted the library's move to stay open 11 pm. “We are open from 8am till 9 pm, 365 days a year but have faced a demand for longer hours.”
HISTORICAL LEGACY
The idea of a library at Rampart Row, looking over the Kala Ghoda neighbourhood came from Baghdadi Jewish philanthropist, David Sassoon's son, Albert. Designed by architects J Campbell and G E Gosling, for Scott McClelland & Company, at a princely sum of Rs 1,25,000, David Sassoon donated half the cost while the rest was borne by the government of what was still the Bombay presidency.
Completed in 1870, using yellow Malad stone, much like the abutting Elphinstone College, Army and Navy Buildings and Watson's Hotel, the entrance portico bears a white stone bust of David Sassoon. This was Thomas Woolner's working model for the statue of Sassoon standing at the front of the stairs of the David Sassoon Library. This standing marble statue, completed in 1865, was commissioned by then Governor of Bombay Sir Bartle Frere, a personal friend of the sculptor, Woolner. Subscriptions came from the Jewish community, a myriad of traders, and friends in England.
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