Kaiser Shumsher, from a very young age, was passionate about reading and collecting newspapers and books. His interest grew when he visited Britain in 1908 with his father, Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher. Impressed by Britain’s library and museum system, Kaiser Shumsher decided to develop his own private library upon his return to Nepal. This library, now known as Kaiser Library, began with books he brought from Britain and grew with more addition from his travels.

Kaiser Shumsher also collected antiques, animal trophies, paintings, and photographs, making the library a small museum. During his lifetime, only his family, notable Nepalese scholars, and some foreigners had access to the library. Notable visitors included Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, who visited in 1952 and 1960, and well-known orientalists like Perceval London and Sylvain Levi who used the library for their research.

The library remained private even after the 1950 revolution. However, in 1964, Kaiser Shumsher’s wife, Krishna Chandra Devi Rana, and their sons donated the library and its 34 ropanies of land to the government. A special ceremony was held on September 11, 1968, to mark the donation, and since then, the library has been managed by the Ministry of Education.

Today, the Kaiser Library houses over sixty thousand books, documents, periodicals, and manuscripts. It is renowned for its rare collections, including manuscripts, paintings, photographs, and animal trophies. Historically and archaeologically, it is one of the country’s most significant libraries.

The Kaiser Collection alone has about twenty-eight thousand volumes covering various subjects like philosophy, religion, astronomy, social science, military science, hunting, gardening, medicine, literature, history, and biography. Most books are in English, with a few in Sanskrit, Hindi, and Nepali. The library also holds noteworthy paintings, photographs, sculptures, old maps, and press cuttings.

Since 1970, the library has been adding new books annually. It subscribes to forty-three newspapers and journals each year, with many periodicals received through donations and exchanges, including some from Kaiser Shumsher’s private collection.

The Kaiser Library is located in Kaiser Mahal, in the central city of Kathmandu Valley, right in front of the western gate of the Narayanhiti Royal Palace. Kaiser Mahal was the residence of the late Field Marshal Kaiser Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, son of the late Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana. The library is unique for its art, architecture, cultural heritage, photographs, and paintings.

Picture Credit- Tom Hermans, Jess Bailey

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