Anand Mahindra ‘embarrassed’ for not knowing this ‘must see destination’ in Uttar Pradesh
Sam Dalrymple, a book author at William Collins Books in London, visited Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, a few years ago and was captivated by the city’s grandeur.
Calling it one of the greatest princely cities of Uttar Pradesh, he noted in his blog that it is also “home to the largest Afghan diaspora” in India.
Recently, Dalrymple shared a photo of a monument in Rampur on X (formerly Twitter), drawing the attention of industrialist Anand Mahindra, who admitted feeling “embarrassed” for not knowing about it earlier.
Mahindra, an active user of X, frequently shares interesting discoveries from around the world. This time, he was struck by the architectural beauty of Rampur Raza Library, a 250-year-old institution.
Dalrymple, in his tweet, called it “the prettiest library in India” and highlighted its collection of around 30,000 rare manuscripts spanning Pashto, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, and Tamil.
Reposting the tweet, Mahindra expressed his awe, writing, “That is a magnificent structure. I had absolutely no idea of its existence. I'm embarrassed. By itself, it makes Rampur a must-see destination.”
That is a magnificent structure.
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 4, 2025
I had absolutely no idea of its existence. I’m embarrassed.
By itself, it makes Rampur a must-see destination… https://t.co/5gnbeMHch5
According to the Indian Culture website by the Government of India, Rampur Raza Library is a significant Indo-Islamic repository of learning and arts.
Established in 1774 by Nawab Faizullah Khan, it flourished under the patronage of the Nawabs of Rampur, attracting poets, calligraphers, painters, and musicians.
The library houses an extensive collection of 17,000 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi, and Turkish, along with 60,000 printed books in multiple languages.
It also boasts a marvellous collection of paintings and palm-leaf manuscripts.
Housed in Hamid Manzil, a European-Mughal architectural marvel featuring an Italian sculpture gallery and canopied ceilings, the Rampur Raza Library stands as a testament to India’s rich literary and artistic heritage.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
