The Libraries and the River

 

The Libraries and the River 

In the course of human history, libraries have served as repositories to safeguard the essential elements of civilization.

Libraries are establishments created to safeguard written materials, such as records, legends, and literature. They serve as a repository of the history, intellectual activity, discoveries, and innovative ideas of a culture over time. In the Western world, the first libraries were collections of literature, commentaries, records, and speculations on how the world worked. Many of these institutions also promoted scientific investigation, new ideas, and innovative methods of understanding the world. Libraries are establishments created to safeguard written materials, such as records, legends, and literature. They serve as a repository of the history, intellectual activity, discoveries, and innovative ideas of a culture over time. In the Western world, the first libraries were collections of literature, commentaries, records, and speculations on how the world worked. Many of these institutions also promoted scientific investigation, new ideas, and innovative methods of understanding the world.

India is known to be the birthplace of one of the earliest civilizations in the world. The Indian civilization was shaped by intellectual inquiry and philosophical thinking. Archeological and literary evidence suggests that writing and reading of manuscripts were common practices in ancient India from the 4th century B.C. to the 6th century A.D. This led to the development of a collection of manuscripts in important centers of learning. One of the most notable libraries of this period was Nalanda University's library in Bihar, which functioned for over 800 years until the 12th century and boasted a student body of more than 1,000. Other significant academic libraries of that period included Vikramsila, Odantapuri, Somapuri, Jaggadal, Mithila, Vallabhi, Kanheri, and more.

In 1193 AD, Nalanda University was attacked by Bakhtiyar Khilji, a general who served under Qutubuddin Aibak. This attack was more severe than previous ones, and it had a devastating impact on the university. As a result, Nalanda lost its status as a major center of learning.

During a period in history, there was a lot of activity in South India. It was known as the Sangam age, and there was a tradition about the libraries in that period. Thanjavur, a city in South India, has been renowned for over ten centuries as a great center of art, culture, and literature. The Cholas, Nayaks, and Marathas - successive generations - have all contributed to and enriched the city's cultural greatness. The Brahadeswar Temple and the magnificent Palace are some of the main attractions of Thanjavur, but the Sarasvati Mahal Library is also well-known throughout the world. The Sarasvati Mahal Library is one of the few medieval libraries that still exist today. It is a treasure house of manuscripts formed during the Nayak Kingdom in Thanjavur (1535-1675) and developed by the Maratha Kings (1676-1855). Raja Serfoji II (1798-1832), one of the Maratha Kings, was an eminent scholar in many branches of learning. He took special steps for the enrichment of the Library and it is now a living monument for our culture, reflecting the glory of Raja Serfoji II. It is a fitting tribute to the great collector Serfoji. Since 1918, the Library has been named the Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji’s Sarasvati Mahal Library. It has more than 60,000 palm leaf records and is one of the oldest in Asia.

According to the national constitution adopted in 1950, public libraries are the responsibility of Indian states. However, not all states have taken advantage of their authority to establish public libraries. In 2007, the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) issued wide-ranging recommendations for the country's libraries, which are gradually being put into practice.

Outside, the world picture:

Very little information exists about the earliest libraries, and most of them haven't survived in any form. Some of the written works they contained deteriorated because they had been recorded on perishable surfaces. Some libraries were destroyed by conquerors, while others fell into disuse when no one was left who could read the material.

In ancient times, there were two libraries in Egypt - one in Amarna during the fourteenth century B.C. and another in Thebes. Unfortunately, nothing remains of these libraries today. The most significant library of the ancient world was established in Alexandria, a city founded in 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great. The library was a part of a learning institution called the Alexandria Museum, which was established by the rulers of Egypt in the third century B.C. The purpose of the museum was to promote education and scientific research, and the library was created to support these efforts.

The Library of Alexandria, which is known worldwide for its vast collection of knowledge, was unfortunately destroyed by fire. Although some people believe that the city of Alexandria was set up in Egypt as an extension of Emperor Alexander's conquests, the library became fully operational during the reign of his successor, Ptolemy II, also known as the Philadelphus. From 255 BC to 246 BC, the library grew to become a magnificent collection of world knowledge, containing an estimated 400,000 scrolls at its peak. However, during the time of the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar in 48 BC, a devastating fire broke out, losing countless invaluable works of literature and knowledge. It is believed that the library was not destroyed in the fire and that some parts survived. Nonetheless, Alexander's library vanished from the pages of history during the third century's religious power struggles and wars.

There is an interesting story behind the name of Rio de Janeiro, which means “January River” in Portuguese. It was named so by Gaspar de Lemos in 1502, who mistook the Guanabara Bay for a river. Although this story has become popular, historians later disputed it. In the 16th century, the word “Rio” was used interchangeably for “river” and “bay” in Portuguese, leading to confusion. However, the name Rio de Janeiro was never changed.

Rio de Janeiro became the capital of Brazil in 1763 and remained so for two centuries, despite being located thousands of kilometers away from the country's center. In 1808, the Portuguese Royal Family fled to Brazil to escape Napoleon’s invasion and brought with them their possessions, including the Royal Library. The library, which contained about 60,000 books, became the largest library in South America and the seventh largest in the world. When Brazil gained independence from Portugal in 1822, Rio de Janeiro continued to serve as the country’s capital until 1960.

The preservation of works of literature and history in ancient libraries served as a foundation for our knowledge of vanished cultures.