Atheism library attempts to stoke curiosity in Bihar village

Asha Khaira is a small village surrounded by three channels of Gandak, one of the major rivers in Bihar.

It is by the banks of these channels that SNS Jigyasu, when in his youth, would sit down with other villagers to conduct reading sessions.

Now in his late fifties, Jigyasu is carrying on with the tradition of spreading the joy of reading. He has started a library at his home, named Apna Atheism United Library.

Though a very noble initiative, a library in a village is not uncommon.

There exist tens of thousands of them – in different sizes – across this nation.

But what is remarkable about the library in Asha Khaira is its name. You rarely come across a library that stands out for atheism.

“Different religions are practised, propagated, and followed in our country. But there is a section of citizens who do not follow any religion. I belong to that section,” explained Jigyasu.

According to the census of 2011, there were as many as 28,67,303 non-believers in India. Out of these, 16,23,640 lived in rural India.

With non-believers scattered across, it is not surprising that the Atheism library has found takers in Jiyasu’s Bihar village.

“The idea behind the library is to outgrow individualism, since with the advent of television and then the internet, communities have largely ceased to bond,” he pointed out.

His library is an effort to remedy the trend of individualism and work towards community building.  

“We started the library which is the first of its kind in Bihar. Ten desks are in one hall which can accommodate 30 people at a given time,” he said.

Triggering rational enquiry

As with its name, there are some unique rules in place for the library. Open in two shifts- between 7 am to 11 am, and then from 5 pm to 8 pm – children are first allowed to go in. Those older are then allowed if the space permits.

The library has been seeing a steady stream of visitors ever since it was inaugurated.

“The day it was inaugurated, over 200 people from Asha Khaira and nearby villages visited it. Some stayed to read, some went after seeing it with a promise to return,” Jigyasu added.

Interestingly, his own name – meaning someone who enquires – indicates the motto behind the initiative. The library aims to trigger the quest for rational enquiry, free of religious dogmas, in pursuit of knowledge.

However, Jigyasu and his pet project do not discourage those who believe in religion. “Though we are serious about atheism, we do not think religion is a spectacularly bad thing. Just that it inhibits people from engaging in thoughtful conversations and cultivating well-informed opinions,” he argued.

A journalist and an activist, Jigyasu does not wholly subscribe to what the German philosopher, Karl Marx once famously said, “politics is the opium of the masses.” He agrees though with the second half of that quote, which is, “religion is the heart of a heartless world.” 

But then, why an atheism library, many people ask regularly.

“That they ask this is itself a sign that people like to question. Because of the library’s unusual name, my villagers engaged with me,” he added.

From Hawking to Kabir

The steady stream of visitors to the library is a pointer that it has already started triggering curiosity among many.

Sarita Devi, an elderly woman in her fifties, has read Stephen Hawking for the first time. Sunita Devi, another middle-aged resident of the village, was curious enough to pick up the collected work of Kabir, the 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint.

“Hawking reminded me of my own childhood when I too was very curious about the universe,” said Sarita Devi.

The library aims to encourage readers to delve into scientific discoveries, comprehend nature, and critically examine supernatural beliefs.

“We have sessions wherein we read ‘Why I am an Atheist’ — the classic text of India’s martyr of freedom struggle, Bhagat Singh,” Jigyasu added.

Though started with eclectic goals, the library was not easy to set up. Far-flung and remote, it was a struggle to get books from cities such as Delhi.

But now that hundreds of books – secured mainly through donations – have made it to the library shelves, there is a rush of children to its modest premises.

Anuj, 10, is reading a primer on good English. Some 15 other children crammed the benches, poring over varied books, on a recent morning.

Meanwhile, Gandak is flowing around the village. The wind is gently blowing over its still waters. Asha Khaira is being swept by a renewed burst of curiosity to know what lies hidden in the books at the Atheism library. The library too has its doors open to welcome more readers.

The lead image at the top shows children immersed in books at the Atheism library in Asha Khaira village. (Photo by Kumar Gaurav)

Amir Malik is a freelance journalist based in Bihar. He writes about health, women and children and their interaction with nature. He is a Rural Media Fellow 2022 at Youth Hub, Village Square.