Saidapet’s Mahatma Gandhi Nool Nilayam begins a new chapter

The library, which has been catering to readers in the city since 1952, has undergone an expansion, with a new building, which will house around 25,000 books, being opened on its premises

A library in Saidapet that started out in a small rented room in 1952 has since become a celebrated space for writers and readers in the city. Now, the Mahatma Gandhi Nool Nilayam has undergone an expansion, with a new building, which will house around 25,000 books, being opened on its premises.

Inaugurated by textile industrialist Nalli Kuppuswami Chetty on Sunday (November 17, 2024), the event saw the participation of prominent Tamil writers such as writer-duo Subha, J. Bhaskaran, Azhagiyasingar, and Gowri Kirubanandan.​

“My father started this library with just 25 books in a wooden trunk while working full-time as a tailor,” says M. Nithyanandham, who manages the library at present. The initial membership fee of three paise per month has increased to ₹90 over the years.

“I juggle this and my day job. I keep the library open from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. and then from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m after I’m done with office work. It has never been about making a profit; otherwise, we would have shut down the library long ago,” he adds, crediting long-time members and donations for keeping the facility afloat.

K. Mahalingam, Mr. Nithyanandham’s father and the library’s founder, visits the facility occasionally these days, but the 95-year-old still enjoys books that his family or library members read to him. “A lot of them used to come here for Ramanichandran’s books,” recalls Mr. Mahalingam.

Renuka Devi B., a member in her 60s, recalls first visiting the library when she was only 15-years-old. “I have been coming here twice a week for decades. This is where I discovered authors such as Ramanichandran, Manian, and Lakshmi Thiripurasundari,” she adds.

The shelves are lined with neatly bound first editions, books published pre-independence, contemporary children’s novels, poetry, and short stories.

“About 90% of our current members are women, but the numbers fell from 200 to 85 following the pandemic,” Mr. Nithyanandham says. “E-books have drawn away some readers, but we are confident we will need another floor soon. The collection only keeps growing,” he adds, hopeful that the decades-old library will continue welcoming book lovers for many years to come.

Published - November 18, 2024 07:58 pm IST