On the afternoon of Sunday, July 16, the Kalaignar Centenary Library on the new Natham Road in Madurai was bustling with activity. Inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on July 15, the public library commemorates the 100th birth anniversary of former CM and Dravidian patriarch M Karunanidhi, who is also Stalin’s father. By Sunday, people from across the city were thronging the building, combing through the never-ending racks of books, flipping through the pages of titles that caught their eye, almost spoilt for choice.
The building welcomes people with a statue of Karunanidhi sitting with his legs crossed, wearing his iconic black glasses and a smile, holding a writing pad in his left hand and a pen in his right. Behind the statue are the yellow-tinted words Kalaignar Nootrandu Noolagam (Kalaignar Centenary Library), standing out starkly against a red clay exposed brick wall. The entrance contains caricatures from Sangam literature works and a recurring motif of the rising sun — the symbol of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). A chandelier, hanging from the centre of one such ’sun’, and the three escalators to differe,nt sections of the library lend the building a palatial extravagant tone.
Photo credit: Nithya Pandian
The spacious library reportedly contains more than 3.3 lakh titles, and the ground floor has a dedicat,ed section for people with disabilities. A person with a disability has been appointed as the librarian here.
The ground floor also has, a section called ‘Kalaignar Pirivu’, dedicated to the collection of works by Karunanidhi, in addition to books on the history and evolution of the Dravidian and self-respect movements. A special gallery showcases pictures and paintings of the colonial Madurai, which once served as the capital city of the Pandya Kingdom. It further contains a captivating life-size sculpture of a man taming a jallikattu bull.
The children,'s section on the first floor is vibrant, adorned with colourful chairs, alphabet-shaped sofas, and cartoon murals on the walls. Sitting on a tiny chair accompanied by a little bench, Thiruppalai resident Avaiyatthan explained to his 12-year-old daughter what the book she just picked up was all about. He later told TNM that he liked everything about the library. “We have a rural library in our area, but it doesn't have a huge collection of books like this. Here, books are available in both English and Tamil. I hope it will encourage my daughter to explore literature in other languages as well,” he said. Some readers, however, raised concerns that there were only a limited number of Tamil books meant for the children.
Photo credit: Nithya Pandian
The English boo,ks section on the third floor is yet to be opened to the public.
Photo credit: Nithya Pandian
The teacher added that Madurai so far didn’t have a significant library culture, which meant they often had to buy or borrow books from others. “But now we can come here on our weekends and spend some quality time reading.”
“Besides, now that the students’ curriculum includes French and Hindi as second languages, it would be beneficial if the government includes books in more different languages to the collection,” said Viji, who was visiting the library with her daughter.
Another reader, who had arrived at the library hoping to take a membership, told TNM he was asked to come after 20 days. “The library management is apparently yet to decide on the subscription amount,” he said.
The building, which resembles the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai, spans 2.13 lakh square feet, and has been constructed at a cost of Rs 120.75 crore. The foundation stone for the library was laid in January 2022, and the fund was allotted by the Public Works Department. HCL founder Shiv Nadar and chairperson Roshini Nadar were the chief guests at the inauguration event. The fully air-conditioned library also has a kids screening theatre, a science lab, and a conference hall.
Tamil Nadu has more than 4,000 local libraries across the state, but there has been criticism that many of them are in a dismal state. While applauding the government’s decision to construct a new library, some have also pointed out the need to renovate and improve those already existing in the state.