Reading up a revolution

CHANDIGARH: Chandigarh, a modern city, established its connect with the freedom struggle when the historic Dwarka Dass Library – where legendary martyrs spent long hours, sometimes, nights too, while reading up on revolutionary literature – was relocated to Sector 15 in 1966.
Founded by Lala Lajpat Rai in 1921 in Lahore in the memory of his friend, Dwarka Dass who was also a freedom fighter, it is being run by Servants of the People Society and houses 84,015 books, of which every fourth book is a rare book, informs GS Thakur, the librarian.
The library, due to its association with the patriots, earned the epithet of a national shrine. "It became a sanctuary for patriots like Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru", says Onkar Chand, vice-president of the society.
Library records show the books Bhagat Singh got issued and read. Some of these are "Mother" by Maxim Gorky, "The Career of a Nihilist" by S Stepniak, "God and the State" by Michael Bakunin, "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo, "Life of Voltaire" by SG Tallentyre, "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair, besides a pamphlet, "Civil War in France" by Karl Marx.
Raja Ram Shastri, the then librarian, who later became member of Parliament, has narrated that there were occasions when Bhagat Singh visited the library in the evenings and when he felt sleepy, would ask him (Shastri) to let him sit on his bed but would slowly ease him out of the bed, who then would sleep on the floor.
The library also has the records of court cases of freedom fighters including Bhagat Singh. These include court proceedings of the Lahore Conspiracy Case besides the Crown versus Sukhdev case.
Bhagat Singh, not only dreamt of a free India but he also had vision of a future India that was free of exploitation. And his dream and vision was strengthened at this library, says Onkar Chand.