‘Yuajana Vayanasala’, a six-decade-old library located at Thottumugham, will be reopened for the public on Saturday. Justice V K Mohanan of the Kerala High Court will inaugurate the new building, while P Rajeev MP will dedicate the Nehru Mandapam (open stage) in the memory of Prof M K A Hameed, former MLA and one of the founding fathers of the library. W O George Memorial hall will be inaugurated by Anwar Sadat MLA.
According to library officials, the ‘Yuvajana Vayanasala’ has a remarkable history, and was visited by eminent personalities like Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru was invited by library president W O George to attend the inaugural function of the first building in 1952. Although the library was founded in 1948 by distinguished persons, including MLA M K A Hameed and W O John, the first reading hall was built only in 1952.
A J John, the third chief minister of the Travancore-Cochin state (Thiru-Kochi), was scheduled to dedicate the building for the public. According to the minutes kept in the library, A J John attended the function along with state chief secretary V N Rajan. Nehru was accompanied by his daughter Indira Gandhi and grandchildren Rajiv and Sanjay Gandhi. The minutes show that with the permission of A J John and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, W O George lighted the inaugural lamp. V V Manmadhan, the current president of the library, said that along with Prof M K A Hameed, deputy speaker of Thiru-Kochi state K P Krishna Menon and Congress Party president T O Bawa were among the few who founded the library.
The library was opened with 169 books and 12 newspapers. The twelve cents of land donated for the library by Kuttamassery Manackal Brahmasri Damodaran Nampoothiri was used as a ‘Thanneer Pandhal’, a way station for thirsty travellers, earlier. Manmadhan said that the library today houses more than 12,000 books and is set to increase the number to 30,000 in the near future. On the last day of the function, programmes like Kavi Arangu (poets’ meet), Kavya Sandhya (poetry evening) and a drama performance will be organised.