Established in 1994, Komal Library in Srinagar has served the local Sikh community by providing free educational resources and a peaceful space for reading. It is also helping keep young readers off their phones and reading more.
A few years ago, Sehaj Kaur was looking for a quiet and peaceful place to study in Srinagar. She found it at Komal Library, tucked inside the complex of the Gurdwara Shaheed Bunga Sahib at Baghat Barzulla. The library offered her a calm atmosphere, access to a wide range of study material, and a place to socialise with other young members of her community. Sehaj would spend hours in the library, away from the distractions of everyday life.
Within a year, she began volunteering at the library, helping organise reading sessions, community events, and educational activities for young people. “The library helped me in two ways,” said Sehaj, who is pursuing a Bachelors’ degree in Psychology. “It gave me access to resources for my studies, and it introduced me to community service. Both have played an important role in my life.”
Origin of the library
Komal Library has a rich history rooted in social service. Established in 1994 as a community library, it is named after Gyani Kartar Singh Komal, a prominent Kashmiri Sikh scholar, writer, and editor. Komal was known for his contributions to Urdu literature and journalism. During the 1960s, he founded the Urdu newspaper Karamveer and served as its editor. After his death in 1992, members of the Sikh community decided to honour his legacy by establishing a public library in his name. They believed that the best tribute to a scholar was a place where knowledge could be shared.
“The library was started as a service to the Sikh community in Kashmir,” said Jagjit Singh, the library’s current in-charge. “Our aim was simple. We wanted students to have access to books and a peaceful place where they could study.”
When the library was set up, Kashmir was going through a turbulent period. Educational institutions would mostly remain shut and access to resources was scarce. “This library became a lifeline for students, especially those from Srinagar,” Jagjit told DNN24.
The library has rendered great service to the Sikh community and continues to provide space and good resources to students. “Many students who once spent their evenings reading here are now doctors, engineers, civil servants, teachers, and professionals working in different parts of India and abroad,” said Jagjit. “Whenever they return to Kashmir, they visit the library.”
Competing with the phone
More than three decades on, the library’s biggest challenge isn’t shuttered schools- it is screens. “Children today have information at their fingertips, but they spend less time reading books,” he said. “Libraries are among the few places that can still cultivate the habit of reading.”
To encourage students, the library has introduced new ways to attract youth towards reading. “Last year, we announced that anyone who completed fifteen books in a year would receive a cash prize. The idea was never about the prize itself. It was about motivating students to read consistently,” said Jagjit.
Every week, the library also conducts a digital detox session. “We ask students to leave their phones aside for a few hours and simply read, discuss, or write. Many of them initially find it difficult, but by the end of the session they realise how refreshing it feels,” said Jagjit.
Beyond the Reading Room
Besides providing space and resources, Komal Library has become a centre for cultural and community activities. Every year, it organises a week-long Khalsa Week during the festival of Baisakhi, bringing together students from different age groups for lectures, photography competitions, painting contests, essay writing, debates, quizzes, and sports events. “Our objective is to support the intellectual, personal, spiritual, and emotional development of young people,” said Jagjit. “These activities help students discover talents beyond academics.”
Sehaj has witnessed that transformation firsthand. “I first participated in Khalsa Week as a student,” she recalled. “As I became more involved with the library, I started volunteering. For the past two years, I have helped organise these programmes. Watching younger students participate gives me immense satisfaction.”
For Sehaj, Komal Library also became a place where she formed friendships and gained confidence. “We discuss books, current affairs, social issues, and many other topics here. These conversations have broadened my perspective and made me more confident in expressing my views,” she said.
Sustained by Its Own Members
Membership remains free, and the library runs entirely on community support. Former students, many of whom have established successful careers, regularly donate funds that help the library purchase new books, magazines, newspapers, and educational material. “This library belongs to the community,” Jagjit told DNN24. “Every book on these shelves represents someone’s contribution and someone’s belief that education can change lives.”
More than three decades after its establishment, Komal Library stands as a living tribute to Gyani Kartar Singh Komal’s belief that education and ideas have the power to strengthen both individuals and communities.
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