DESCRIPTIVE NOTES ON LIBRARIES. lxXXV 



he had a passion for Arabic and Persian books and succeeded 

 in adding 1,200 MSS. to the 300 which he had received by 

 inheritance. On his death-bed he charged young Khuda Bakhsh 

 to complete the collection in every branch of Oriental learning 

 and to build a library-hall for the use of the public. 



In 1891 the library, which then contained nearly 4,000 

 MSS., was opened to the public. At the present time the nuni 

 ber, as I found after careful inquiry, is about 5,130 (Arabic, 

 3,050; Persian, 2,030; and Urdu, 50), though it is stated in the 

 preface to the first volume of the O. P. Library Catalogue that 

 it exceeded 6,000. The library also contains about 3,000 

 Arabic and Persian printed books. 



In the year 1915, a Muhammadan gentleman of Patna 

 presented 130 Arabic and Persian MSS. and about 400 Arabic 

 and Persian printed volumes. 



The additions made since the library was first opened are 

 entirely due to the son of Mawlavi Md. Bakhsh, Khan Bahadur 

 M. Khuda Bakhsh Khan, CLE., who died in the year 1908 

 ( = A.H. 1325). It is to him that the library in its present form 

 owes its existence. 



The founder spent a large sum of money on the library 

 buildings. It is a two-stpried structure with a spacious hall 

 and two side-rooms on the first floor and wide, shady veran- 

 dahs. Most of the lower rooms are paved with marble or stone 

 mosaics ; in the other verandahs and rooms the floor is covered 

 with encaustic tiles. The single storied reading-hall was built 

 at Government expense. 



Since 1891 the Government has granted a monthly sum for 

 the maintenance and proper guarding of the library. H.H. the 

 Nizam contributes Rs. 600 a year towards its upkeep. 



In 1903 that great patron of learning, Lord Curzon, honoured 

 the library with a visit and was pleased to make the following 

 remark : " While at Patna I inspected with great pleasure the 

 library which the liberality of Khuda Bakhsh has presented the 

 public, and I was shown many of the rare and valuable trea- 

 sures which it contains. 



" I discussed with the generous donor the means by which 

 the collection may be preserved from risk of fire or any other 

 danger and by which its advantages may be made even more 

 accessible than they now are to the reader and student. I hope 

 that steps may be taken in both of these directions.' ' 



In view of the fact that this splendid collection was almost 

 unknown in Europe, and not nearly so well known as it 

 deserved to be among the learned Muhammadans of India, 

 Lord Curzon realised the urgent need of a detailed Catalogue of 

 the library and at His Excellency's request the Government of 

 Bengal undertook to provide funds for the purpose. 



Formerly Khan Bahadur Mawlavi Khuda Biikh-h, CLE., 

 compiled a descriptive catalogue of many of his MSS. It is 



