Hidden treasure of vintage books waits to be discovered at Ludhiana college
Hardly any student borrows these books, some of which were published in the 1800s.
Stacked in four almirahs amid the vast library of Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College in Civil Lines, scores of heritage books shifted from Pakistan’s Gujranwala in 1953 are hidden treasures that not many students have tapped.
The college’s Sant Teja Singh Library offers its students a curated collection of 62,000 books. Among them are 1,600 vintage books — available in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu — some as old as 1832.
Established in 1889, the Khalsa Committee started Khalsa High School in Gujranwala, Pakistan (now Gujranwala Guru Nanak Public School, Ludhiana) and Guru Nanak Khalsa College. But after Partition in 1947, the college was re-established in Ludhiana in 1953, and renamed Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College.
Along came a huge collection of books on social sciences, political science, philosophy, history and fiction from countries like Russia, France, the US and the United Kingdom.
Though they have failed to catch the eye of students, the variety is impressive — including The Federal System of Rajputana (1832), The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope (1894), Heredity Race and Society by Lloyd S Woodburne (1904), Comedy in Three Acts by Harcharan Singh (1942), The Transfer of Power to India by EWR Lumby (1945) and Studies in Medieval Indian History by P Saran (1952).
A board stating “Our heritage books from Gujranwala Pakistan” is erected in the library’s reading area to allure students, but in vain. While around 150 books are issued to students daily on an average, the vintage books find not a single taker.
Interactions with students visiting the library revealed their disregard for the literary wealth. “My interest lies in reading books related to my course. I regularly borrow these books for notes. With so much pressure to excel in studies, I don’t have time to read anything else,” said Jaspreet Kaur, a student.
Others cited ignorance. Puneet Chawla, a second-year BA student, said, “I visit the library daily to read newspapers, but was not aware of the heritage books. The college authorities must create awareness regarding the precious collection.”
Aware of students’ apathy, college principal Arvinder Singh, said, “We plan to set up a special area centrally, showcasing these books, to encourage more students to read them.”
