Lalitpur Reopens Historic Sharda Library After Decades

Lalitpur Metropolitan City Reopens Historic Sharda Library Closed Since BS 2046

Lalitpur Metropolitan City has reopened the historic Sharda Library, which had remained closed since BS 2046, at its own office building. The library had operated from the then Lalitpur Nagar Panchayat building in Mangalbazar until before the People’s Movement of BS 2046 and had remained closed since then.

Sanskriti Shiromani and cultural scholar Hariram Joshi inaugurated the library at a program today. On the occasion, he said that bringing the neglected and long-defunct library back into operation was significant and expressed confidence that it would make a major contribution to the dissemination of knowledge. Stating that the library has a history of more than 800 years, he thanked the Metropolitan City for giving a prominent place to a library that had previously been kept in a dark room.

Lalitpur Metropolitan City Mayor Chiribabu Maharjan said urban libraries and a ‘City Hall’ are essential and that the Metropolitan City has prioritized the library to preserve reading culture. Recalling that the late Satya Mohan Joshi had repeatedly encouraged him to restore the library, Mayor Maharjan said emphasis had been placed on preserving the library, which was lost during the People’s Movement, and handing it over to the new generation.

Deputy Mayor Manjali Shakya Bajracharya said Sharda Library had been restored to help people understand the importance of reading culture. Stating that books are a primary source of knowledge, she said it was essential to promote understanding of the importance of libraries.

At the program, writer and publisher Mir Subba Narayan Prasad Shrestha said Lalitpur, the birthplace of world-renowned artist Arniko, is one of the finest cities in the world and that the Metropolitan City had enhanced its prestige by restoring the library.

Mayor Maharjan thanked writer and publisher Mir Subba Shrestha and Anurag Joshi, son of Centenarian Satya Mohan Joshi, for providing books to the library. He also expressed gratitude to Sagar Raj Subedi, head of the Tribhuvan University Central Library, the Nepal National Library, and Madan Pustakalaya for their support in restoring the library.