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18th May 2012

Images by Madhu Reddy

The "Moghul library" of Hyderabad

by Madhu Reddy

How does one find a house in India? Unlike planned streets, which can be found on the GPS, directions here include sentences like “behind the post office”, “front of the tamarind tree”, and “ house with a green gate right next to the Library”. Though today with high-rise apartments things have changed a bit, but years back our house was a landmark, famous by default. A popular neighborhood library resided in our garage, once meant for an old Austin Morris. Even before I was a zygote, the “Moghul Library” started modestly as a magazine stand evolving into well-stocked aisles of books.

Three generations of our family have been patrons since 1972, now Tinkle and Noddy make their return journey back along with “Outlook” of “India Today”, “Femina”, not to forget volumes of “King”, novellas of “Cohelo” and the latest of “Chetan Bhagat”. Things have changed, new magazines, new titles, new readers and new habits. A wave of home videos, play-stations, zillion channels on TV, and now cyber space all compete with the printed world. But, maybe the new generation seems to be making its way back slowly, with retired grandparents and parents alike. There might be a slight hope yet, rediscovering the lost art of reading again.

The man behind the patient journey says the library survived because he never saw it as a business. He is “library uncle” to all of us; even today kids don’t know his name. But Asif Hussien, “Asif uncle” has seen the generations grow while making their trips to library. The 80’s were the busiest for him, there was a time when the library was a meeting ground for the walkman sporting teens, bicycles stood blocking the traffic, housewives exchanged gossip between trying to get Asif uncle’s attention to register the books.

The register seems to be the same old one. No computers to login the lending date, all still done the old fashioned way. You get a number with your yearly membership, the books have a code, the date noted in the register on your page. When the books are returned, the daily amount for each book noted and a running tab that is closed each month. Simple. It still works. So why change.

In a country where government libraries are obscure, neighborhood libraries such as Moghul sure set an example for light reading. Brought the joy of print to many who could barely afford books in those days. Some memories are etched in the passages of time, especially the first books we read. Words enabled us to take our first flight of imagination. We journeyed with the Famous Five, spied like Drew, fought gallantly like the Gauls, sailed the seven seas with Tintin and last but not the least read the treasure trove of Amar Chitra Kathas that taught us the history and myths of this land. Some oldies yellow with the dust of memories can be still found here.

Thank you uncle, for keeping the library open rain or shine, bandhs and strikes, Christmas or New Year. Even through all the tough days of Ramadan and noise of Diwali. Thank you for having the patience to ride along with the world of the bytes, accepting the change but yet remaining the same. Some memories are meant to stand still in the same old lanes.

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You will find the library down main Himayatnagar road, Liberty uttar in Hyderabad. First left after the temple on the Street No: 1 it's 100 yards on your right.

COMMENTS

"it is such an excellent article . Asif uncles library is unique in many ways. It brings back so many lively memories of childhood reading all the books that you could not find anywhere else. The library is an institution in itself. I visited the imperial war museum last week in London and it brought back memories of the summer holidays when I used to read commando comics from moghal library. I still remember by account number9/3 which was my name for asif uncle. Alas himayathnagar is not the same quite place ! Dil dhoond ta hai phir wahi fursat ke raat din!"

- Dr m hidayath khan

"So glad to see folks remembering their times at the library. Do drop by and say hello to Asif uncle. The library open only in the evenings these days as his health has not been that great and he is trying to take it easy. Thanks for the response. "

- Madhu Reddy

"Hi Shailesh, thank you for sharing this! The balloon is the happiest when its stories enter people's lives and memories. "

- The Balloon

"Awesome reading about Asif uncle. I did a search for Moghul Library on a whim and amazed to read your write up. I have been a member since 1979 and grown up on Moghul Library books. In those days, late 70s, Asif uncle used to run it along with his elder sister (Aapa). When Gandhi movie came out in 1982, we used to tell him... uncle go and see the movie, the hero (Kingsley) looks like you :-) "

- Shailesh K

"Thank you Pradeep! It's always nice when people understand how special certain places are!"

- The Balloon