Students and research experts have traditionally favored visiting the Idara-e-Adabiyat-e-Urdu. Scholars from all around india would come here to thumb through rare books, not only those from Hyderabad. Periodically, foreign visitors also came to this location to satisfy their need for literature. However, this is no longer the case. Their population has drastically decreased over the past few years, and just a few numbers have appeared in recent months. No, Idara is not flawed in any way. The same old books are still there. Right present, only they are accessible online.
Rare volumes and manuscripts from the Idara are being digitised and made available for viewing from the comfort of one's home, thanks to Rekhta, the urdu literary online platform. There are currently an astounding 22,000 books accessible online.
Located on the busy Punjagutta road, the Idara is a historical and educational haven. It has been attracting bookworms from all around india and beyond for decades. They all made their way to this beloved institution, from the tranquil regions of japan to the energetic capitals of Canada, from the ancient sands of egypt to the contemporary wonders of Dubai, and even from the verdant landscapes of Bangladesh.
Dr. Syed Mohiuddin Qadri Zore founded the Idara in 1931 with the goal of advancing Deccan history research and preserving the nation's historical and literary records. Former Presidents Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. Zakir Hussain, Faqruddin ali Ahmed, Sanjeeva Reddy, and Sir Akbar Hydari, the former prime minister of Hyderabad, were among the luminaries who paid a visit to the Idara. The over 50,000 volumes and 2600 rare manuscripts in Persian, Arabic, urdu, and Gurmukhi languages kept here are what draw students to this school. Despite lacking resources and staff, the Idara is making every effort to protect its exceptional collection.
The Rekhta Foundation partnership is the ideal development for the Idara. More than 22,000 rare books and periodicals have been digitized in the previous four years. "People can now access them from anywhere," Idara Secretary Prof. S.A. Shukoor explains.
Tarjuma Tuzike Jahangir's rare books may be found on the Idara's dusty shelves. Other than this, there are a tonne of rare books in Arabic, Persian, and urdu on philosophy, history, and literature. A significant number of old manuscripts are also boasted about in the Idara; the oldest being the Arabic text "Sharhu Miftahul Uloom," which was put together by ali Bin Muhammad in 803/1400. Along with Deccani miniature paintings, firmans, monograms, calligraphy panels, textiles, Bidriware, wall hangings, coins, and two boxes of Ganjifa—an old indian card game with Iranian origins—it also has a respectable collection of these items.
The once-bustling Idara now appears more subdued, with the footfall of inquisitive students resonating against the old stone flooring less regularly. It is a change in the winds of knowledge, not a loss of interest in the treasures contained within the Idara. With the arrival of Rekhta, academics and students now have a fresh route to the riches they are searching for.
Rekhta has taken on the enormous undertaking of digitising all 35,000 rare books and manuscripts of the Idara with painstaking attention to detail and steadfast devotion. Three to six books are digitised each day by its operators. The old books are slowly but surely reviving online, with pages that can be accessed from the comfort of one's home with just a click.