Gorkha Library: A Centurial Conspectus
Animesh AL Rai
Assistant Professor (Sociology)
Indian Institute of Legal Studies
The first Gorkha library in India which was established at Kurseong on 8th June 1913 recently celebrated the 103rd Foundation Day. If we look into the history of this library, hundred years ago, a Lepcha named Jombey Paval had founded it with the help of his friends. Paval was originally from Kalimpong and worked at Kurseong hospital. The library was initially started in his rented house.
In 1915, philanthropist Sardar Bahadur Lama donated Rs. 500 for the construction of the library building and the construction was further funded by the Kurseong Municipality. The local papers like Chandrika which was edited by Parasmani Pradhan started to publish fund raisers for the construction of the library. Finally, the present Gorkha Library at Kurseong was completed at the cost of over Rs. 3,000 and started to function from 1918.
Almost after a century, history seems to repeat itself. Mr. Bipal Rasailey, a 21 year old school dropout hailing from Munsong cinchona plantation area in Kalimpong has opened a library in his village. There seems to be a need for more Paval’s, friends and like-minded people who can come forward and help in the establishment of this library through any ways or means. The rejuvenation of the century old love for libraries for social empowerment must be accepted and assisted as a new hope for the creation of a better society.
In a way of concluding, let me borrow the words of Prof. Mahendra P. Lama, the former Vice-Chancellor of Sikkim University. He claimed “Grandpa and Grandma passed away. We did not record their knowledge and wisdom. When they died, they took away many precious ideas worth the size of libraries with them. Now let us learn to archive information and knowledge by recording the facts and let us not repeat our mistakes by ignoring them”. Libraries are after all depositories of many good things like knowledge and wisdom, geography and history, facts and informations, and many more. Let us all come together and water the library planted by Mr. Bipal Rasailey.
