Urban Legend: It's an open book, the myth and reality

Only in this Mythic Society would there be such an incredible collection of books that take you on a journey through time and space. From rare copies of the epic Ramayana and Mahabharata - on ageing palm leaves - to one of the seven original copies of the Indian Constitution where legends like Jawaharlal Nehru and B.R Ambedkar scrawled their signature, marking the historic moment that India became a republic, it's a book lover's paradise.

Except few even know it exists. This week RANJANI MADHAVAN takes the covers off a 107 year old library that still functions on Nrupathunga Road.

“Old books evoke a strange fascination in me - their smell, feel, their history. They make me wonder who might have owned them, how they lived, what they felt," said Lauren Willig, the New York based author of historical novels.

Nothing would better sum up the atmosphere at Bengaluru's 107-year-old library at Mythic Society better. Here, dusty paperbacks, handwritten manuscripts, ancient books with aluring secrets and pale yellow pages line the rows of tall shelves. This forgotten treasure trove of the city on Nrupatunga Road, boasts of a unique and rich collection that only a few know of. Stroll through it and you can spot the rarest of rare books dating back to the 17th century, in every other shelf.

There are books on philosophy, religion, mythology, history, culture and literature which dominate this library. A hard-bound series of books on the Vedas written by Max Muller in 1856, the original handwritten Sanskrit manuscripts dating back to 1940, the old scriptures of Manusmriti and religious texts of every faith occupy the section near the entrance. 1,203 fragile pages of the Holy Bible printed in 1804, a coloured cloth wrapped around a 1934 edition of the Quran amongst others, are the priceless works at the library.

Of the seven original copies of the Indian Constitution available in the country, one is stored at the Mythic Society library. The reader can see the calligraphic writing and trace the last few pages where legends like Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R Ambedkar and others scrawled their signature, marking the historic moment.

Impossible to miss is the framed copy of the original Magna Carta, agreed to by King John of England in 1215 AD, a symbol of liberty that is still relevant to governments today.

For those who just love history, there is a separate shelf placed in a corner, containing rare books. For instance, there is the original collection of royal wedding invitations, accompanied by black and white pictures of those who carried on the legacy of the Kingdom of Mysore in pre- independent times.

This is perhaps the only library that still relies on the Catalogue system, making it easier for old-timers who visit the place. Since 2013, the library has turned digital as well, to cater to younger readers.

Not restricting itself to English, a separate section is available for Kannada and Sanskrit readers. Works of Kuvempu, a Poetic Anthology of Kannada poems dating back to 1960 and original manuscripts describing Hyder Ali's activities as king will spark the interest of local readers.

The Sanskrit section has some of the oldest editions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, along with a handwritten manuscript on dry leaf like material.

The other invaluable items include well preserved old maps of Bengaluru city. Folded several times these thin, fragile maps,  when opened, open into a large canvas with the detailed geography of the city that would be unrecognizable to anyone in this age. An 1887 edition of Karl Marx' Das Kapital, the 1812 edition of 'Wealth of Nations' by Adam Smith and other such pioneering books in social sciences, fill the antiquarian book collection attracting bibliophiles to this place.

Book lovers should be indebted to the colonial founders, F.J Richards, the then collector of Bangalore Cantonment and Father Tabard, who with the help of 17 other members in 1909, made Mythic Society what it is today. Liberal donations to the vast collection, were made by the Mysore Royal Family.

Some 12 Volumes of original documents on British Foreign Policy from 1919-1939, the first edition of the 'Epic Fast' by Pyarelal who accompanied Gandhi on his fast for the rights of Harijans, publications of the Calcutta Gazette compiled together and other historical pieces, will seduce present-day historians and scholars seeking information.

With such an unparalled collection of books that date back to 1726, the Mythic Society unfortunately does not receive the attention and praise it deserves.

In this age of fast paced fiction and thrillers, these irreplaceable books lie unseen, untouched in the library with just a few scholars, researchers and students making extensive use of the ancient knowledge available.