Lado Pustakalaya: Women’s village library nurtures dreams of aspiring scholars

In a quiet library where one could hear their own breathing, Renu looks up from the book she’s reading and takes a deep breath. The 27-year-old is just a few weeks away from her dream of appearing for the Haryana Public Service Commission’s civil services interview. She is preparing hard — a bit of nervous anxiety has taken hold of her sleep and appetite.

For Renu, daughter of a mason in Sarsod village of Haryana’s Hisar district, the pursuit of her dream seemed like an improbable feat. Yet, against all odds, she cleared the preliminary and mains stages in her first attempt, without the aid of any coaching. The secret to her success lies in the village panchayat’s initiative to establish a library dedicated to women.

Lado Pustakalaya, meaning women’s library, has been providing Renu and others with a conducive environment to prepare for exams. Operational for over a year, it is equipped with individual study desks, charging stations for cell phones and laptops, air conditioning and WiFi.

Most importantly, the library offers peace and uninterrupted study time, a luxury often elusive in rural homes. Renu spends about 10 hours in the library among books and large portraits of successful women from Haryana and across India on its walls.

“Quiet,” Renu described the environment, acknowledging occasionally falling asleep in the library when study sessions extend late into the night. Her elder sister Kajal also studied in the library while preparing for the IIT JAM exam, which she cleared to enrol in Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Mohali. 

Neha, preparing for her NET JRF exam, highlights the challenges of studying at home amidst numerous distractions. 

“I hardly get time to study at home. Whenever I sit down to study, some household chore appears, or guests and relatives arrive whom I have to attend to,” she said, expressing her frustration.

Hope and aspiration

Village sarpanch Sunita Bhyan has been a staunch advocate for women’s rights, extending invitations for assistance at her home whenever needed.

“I even tell them that if they end up studying late, I’ll come to the library and keep them company while they study. Since the library is just a short walk away from my house, I’ve told them that they can come over any time they need help. If they want to have tea, I make it for them,” said Bhyan, who had to drop out after class 10.

For Bhyan, witnessing these girls pursue their dreams brings satisfaction, something she herself was unable to do. In the hallowed halls of this two-storey library, dreams are nurtured, aspirations kindled, and futures shaped, one page at a time.

But the library’s impact extends beyond young dreamers. It rekindles dormant dreams. Take Pinki, a 33-year-old homemaker, for instance. Married to a village school teacher, Pinki had set aside her aspirations to focus on homemaking. Now, with her seven-year-old child in school and spare time at her disposal, she returned to the pursuit of knowledge after a decade-long hiatus from education, fuelled by a newfound desire for employment and financial independence.

“After preparing breakfast and sending off my husband and child, I head to the library to study. I go home to prepare lunch for my father-in-law before returning to the library again. I find studying here without distractions much more comfortable. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate at home,” Pinki said.

Village panchayat’s vision

For the local gram sabha member and Sunita’s husband Pradeep Bhyan, the library symbolises the culmination of years of collective effort and collaboration. 

“The building, built in 2014 on panchayat land in the temple area as a community centre, remained idle for several years. In 2022, the government allocated Rs 30 lakh for the panchayat. Around Rs 75 lakh was invested in the library, with the remainder of the funds provided by the panchayat,” he said.

The library was inaugurated in November 2023 — not by a dignitary but by a teenager, Rishidha, chosen unanimously for the honour through a lottery system conducted within the women-focused Lado Panchayat ecosystem initiated in the village by former sarpanch Sunil Jaglan.  

The initiative draws inspiration from the Bibipur village model, spearheaded by Jaglan, renowned for pioneering the “Selfie with Daughter” movement. Bibipur village in Jind district of the state had received the national award for Gaurav Gram Sabha for its various initiatives. Over the past seven years, Jaglan has played a vital role in establishing more than 140 women-oriented libraries, with the one in Sarsod village being the largest and most modern to date.

The library isn’t solely focused on academic studies. The village council occasionally invites successful people to share their experiences. Renu recalled feeling motivated to pursue a career in civil services after attending an interactive session with Haryana bureaucrat Ekta Bhyan in the library. 

The lead image on top shows Renu studying for her Haryana Civil services interview in the library. (Photo by Unnati Sharma) 

Unnati Sharma is a journalist, writer, and translator. She has worked with ThePrint as a Senior Correspondent specialising in politics, in-depth features, and art and culture stories.