MADRAS LITERARY SOCIETY

The Madras Literary Society (MLS) was founded in 1812.  At that time the Madras, Bombay and Calcutta Presidencies were directly controlled by the London office of the East India Company.  The Society functioned as a cleaning house and a repository for the literary, exploratory and scientific discoveries and experiences of the Civil, Military and Judicial officers of the Madras Presidency. It complemented the Company’s School of Language and Oriental Studies at Fort St. George. 

Shortly after the East India Company moved into the Calcutta, Chennai and Bombay presidencies, they encouraged their employees (who were civil servants, military officers and clerics) to form societies.  In Bengal, the Bengal Asiatic Society was formed and in Bombay, the Bombay Asiatic Society was formed.  These societies functioned somewhat as the arms of the government.   They not only collected books, but also documented anthropological and geological data and collected palm leaf manuscripts. Colleges for education were also started. The Government, the literary societies and colleges functioned as a kind of triumvirate.

“The Madras Literary Society functioned initially within the Fort and subsequently joined the Connemara library in its campus.  From the outset it forged close bonds with learned institutions of international standing such as the Royal Asiatic Society (whose Madras auxiliary merged with the MLS) and its own sister organisations, the Asiatic Societies of Bengal and Bombay”, said Mohan Raman, Secretary, MLS who happens to be an ex-naval officer.

In line with its objective of making its resources freely available to the larger world of scholars and the general public, the Society periodically gave its archaeological, geological and manuscript collections to Universities and specialist organisations like the Government Museum, when these were founded.

Some of the rare books in the collection of the MLS include books like Arretolis Opera Omania QVAE Extant Graece and Latine, published in 1619 (the earliest book available in the library).  Philosophie Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Issac Newton's Masterpiece Pricipia Mathematica in Latin) and Robert Boyle’s works – Vol. III (1772) are some of the rare books in the Science collection.

One of the best-run private libraries in the city, MLS renders special services to the elderly (with an excellent home delivery system for elderly patrons).  The library, which is housed within the Department of Public Instruction's campus, attracts bookworms from all over the city. Its cool and comfy environs can be addictive indeed. The whole library is maintained without any government support, with all expenses being taken care of through contributions by way of membership fees and also from regular benefactors.  The expenses which come close to around Rs. 5 lakh include the rental to the government and the maintenance of books, apart from salaries for employees.

Address: Madras Literary Society, College Road, Chennai 600 006,
Phone: 2827 9666.

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