Gothic Revival

Mumbai's David Sassoon Library gets a life-changing restoration and the people, a fabulous reading room.

- NEERJA DEODHAR

in the 19th century, readers at Mumbai’s David Sassoon Library browsed through a rich collection of books in a regal setting: built in the Victorian Gothic style, the library and reading room boasted quaint arches, louvred windows, Minton tiles and lamps. In present times, the vista from its first-storey veranda may be vastly different, but purposeful interventions have ensured the appeal of its design continues to live on.

A 16-month restoration initiative for the library—which began in February 2022—was born out of conversations between Sangita Jindal, the chairperson of the JSW Foundation, and conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah. Jindal expressed dismay at the lack of proper maintenance. “The David Sassoon Library is a jewel, with great value for students. We should consider its restoration our duty,” she says. The JSW Foundation is a co-donor alongside the ICICI Foundation; together, they partnered with Hermès India, the Kala Ghoda Association, the Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai, the MK Tata Trusts and others to raise funds, making this a multiparty project.

The cityscape in the Kala Ghoda art district—home to the Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, and Esplanade Mansion—now resembles what it looked like a century ago, Lambah says. “The buildings that constitute this cityscape are its most defining features. Saving them is akin to saving the city’s very identity and memory,” she remarks.