Close to the banks of the Ganges, in Patna, stands the Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, a unique repository of about 21000 oriental manuscripts and 2.5 lakh printed books. It was opened for public in October, 1891 by the illustrious son of Bihar Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh with 4,000 manuscripts, of which he inherited 1,400 from his father Maulvi Mohammed Bakhsh.
Khuda Bakhsh Library emerged out of a collection of Maulvi Mohammad Bakhsh, who hailed from Chapra, a district of Bihar. He was a man of letters and law and had a great passion for books. He collected about 1,400 manuscripts including some rare printed books.
When he was on his death-bed in 1876 he entrusted the whole lot to his son and wished him to open a library for the public whenever he should find himself in a position to do so. Khuda Bakhsh, thus, inherited from his father love for books and dedication to public service.
He made it a mission of life to establish a public library so as to fulfil his father's dream. He made all possible efforts to acquire rare books and manuscripts. He also borrowed services of a book-hunter to collect manuscripts from the learning centres in the Arab world. He devoted himself to this noble cause.
Acknowledging the immense historical and intellectual value of its rich and valued collection, the Government of India declared the Library as an Institution of National Importance by an act of Parliament in 1969. The Library is now fully funded by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
Khuda Bakhsh Library is not merely a library; it is in fact a nucleus of multi-dimensional activities. It caters to the needs of intellectuals and scholars, promotes research, advocates communal harmony and also serves public. During the last fifty years it has organised about 200 extension lectures, talks, group discussions and debates. Eminent personalities have delivered lectures on a variety of subjects