An Emerald in the City: the Pakistani Sagar Library
The ethnic minority communities don’t come to the public libraries often, there aren’t books in their native languages, but maybe there are other reasons too…could it be that the library is too quiet? or maybe studying just isn’t their top priority …as we came to understand more about the situations of the ethnic minorities when doing our testing and research, I’d like to post this translated article about the Sagar Library so more people can read about their wonderful work.
We came to know about the Sagar Library after reading this article 填補華文主流的匱乏：巴基斯坦圖書館 Sagar Library, published on the Initium 端傳媒.
We visited Mr Sagar, who, surprisingly, asked us what the article was about as it’s in Chinese. We translated the article for him, and also posting it here to hope to make it available to the non-Chinese speaking communities in town.
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A Special Series on the Scenery of Foreign Language Bookstores in Hong Kong:
Filling in the Gap of Mainstream Bookstores: the Pakistani Sagar Library
Foreign language bookstores do not only provide resources for their own people, but serve as a bridge between the locals and non-mainstream cultures.
We often talk about foreign language bookstores like English and Japanese. How about the ethnic minorities around us, do they have their own bookstores?
We have approached German, Thai and Indian residents in Hong Kong and there seems no native language bookstore in town except for a French booksellor. Thai people can get hold of Thai magazines in grocery stores while Indians can read religious books in their temples. How about Pakistanis? There is no bookstore for them either, but a self-initiated mini library nestled in the busy Nathan Road, founded by Mr Sagar, a long-time resident in Hong Kong. Fellow Pakistanis can read in Urdu without going back to their home country, finding solace from books. Libraries, like bookstores, link people up through books. Mr Sagar has filled the books with passion, without asking anything in return.
Being a Hongkonger who is not really active in the Pakistani circle, I had never thought about the reading habits of ethnic minorities here, little did I know there is an Urdu library run by a native Pakistani inside the Mirador Mansion which is famous for the Jenny Bakery, Indian groceries and boutiques.
“Books are friends of mankind,” said Mr Sagar.
A two-in-one library office hidden inside the building…
My Pakistani friends said there is no bookstore for their people in Hong Kong. Afterward I heard from a shop owner in Chungking Mansion that there is a small Urdu library next door. After I got the address, I walked into Mirador Mansion with a curious heart. Before, I could not find much reason to come inside other than buying a cup of coffee, not to mention walking upstairs. It felt like an adventure unfolding.
I looked at the address written casually on a receipt by the shop owner — the library was on the second floor. Maybe I came in late, many shops along the way had already closed. Occasionally there were people walking past dragging their trolleys in the dimly lit alleys. I walked and walked in the maze, circulating, unable to spot the library. I took out the receipt and tried to seek help. A boy told me the way. After searching for a while longer, I finally found it. I had actually walked past it. It was just near the stairs.
There stood a modest sign in blue outside that read Sagar Kamal and Company, making the place look like a visa office, only that there was also a small line at the bottom saying, “Welcome to our library, Urdu and English books inside”. There also stated the contact of the librarian. I stood outside and hesitated, looking secretly inside through the glass door. It looked quite different from a library in my imagination. Aren’t libraries usually large buildings with several floors? This looked totally like an office to me. When I walked in, the office was so quiet that the air seemed to have come to a stall. There was another guest inside, making me even more confused. I took out the note to confirm. “Is this the Sagar Library?” “Yes, what can I help you?” The one talking was the company staff, Mr Malik, who was sitting beside the door.
The interior was the furnishings of an office with three separate workstations and a few chairs on the side. The person sitting in the middle seemed to be the boss. The space was not big indeed. There were six or seven bookshelves. On the shelves, apart from folders there were many books affixed with labels on their spines. Then I knew though it was small, this was truly a library. Mr Malik selected several books for me, one of which is a book on Pakistani history. This is the place where Mr Sagar combines the office and the library.
A small family library accumulated bit by bit…
He has friends coming from different places, like Nepal, India and Pakistan, mostly from the latter two countries. “I told my friends not to bring me presents like candies, but them,” He pointed at a carton of books sitting on the floor.
“I do not want to run a business with books. People should read them for free.” Mr Sagar is the founder of the consultancy company and the library. He, wearing a beard, seems kind with an air of majesty. “Here are lots of books about Pakistan, written in both Urdu and English.”
The library has been in operation since 1992 for more than 20 years. There are three employees in the office, Mr Malik, Mr Qadri the library administrator and his son who comes to help. Mr Sagar brought with him the idea of a library when he came from Pakistan to Hong Kong looking for an unknown future. After coming to Hong Kong for some time, he gradually remodelled this place into a two-in-one office.
“Bringing the books back is not that easy. I need to seek help from friends.” Mr Sagar puts all sorts of books in this library. It is important that while he himself brings books from Pakistan, his friends also help bring them from different countries. Mr Sagar’s passion for books has long been famous in his circle. He has friends coming from different places, like Nepal, India and Pakistan, mostly from the latter two countries. “I told my friends not to bring me presents like candies, but them,” he pointed at a box of books sitting on the floor.
The books on the floor are donated by a friend, and there are many more books in his place. But due to limited space, Mr Sagar had to tell his friend to wait till the book fair, in which they give the books for free to others in need. The library grew from 3,000 to 7,000 books, but the donation is definitely more. Space is the biggest problem. “Look, the space is small here. We’re going to organise a book fair next month, and give out the books for free.”
A little green card leading to Urdu culture…
“This is me. You can see the name of the factory here.” He looked for his younger self in the pictures of a book. Before coming to Hong Kong, he studied literature in a University in Pakistan and later became a teacher. In search of a better future, he decided to come to Hong Kong in 1969 at the age of 27. He worked as a factory worker while studying a degree. “It was a difficult time.” Mr Qadri said that before Mr Sagar found this consultancy company, he had been helping his fellow townsmen to get a visa for free for five years. He started his business in this office in 1984 under others’ encouragement. Although fate made him a businessman, he did not give up the idea of setting up a library again. The library was “reborn” in 1992 in Hong Kong. It was a “rebirth” because this is not the first one for Mr Sagar. “I also have a small family library in Pakistan, but it is smaller than this one in Hong Kong.”
He rarely visits bookstores in Hong Kong, but occasionally the public libraries. He discovered a big problem that we often overlook. “I sometimes go to the library in Sha Tin. However it is very difficult to find books written in our language.” To us native Hongkongers who are used to reading Chinese, we can easily turn a blind eye to this problem. But for the ethnic minorities it means a lack of access to reading.
“Sometimes we’ve got a good book and everyone rushes to it. I will tell them to read one after another, each for a week.” Although the library is not big, there is a well-established membership system. Anyone can join with simply a Hong Kong Identity Card. Currently there are 181 members. Mr Sagar’s belief is that anyone who wants to read can join for free. Members receive a small green plastic card, similar to an ordinary membership card. It is a delicate card with a unique number and words in Urdu. Each member can borrow two books at a time and return after two weeks. “I hope others can have a chance to learn more, and let those book lovers who do not own the books read here.”
“We should not forget our own culture, just like the Chinese. There are Chinatowns all over the world. Culture is the root of human beings. This place (Hong Kong) is my home. I am a Hongkonger. But I still think my own (Pakistani) culture is very important,” he said.
“Members are of all ages. Most of them are young people, with some middle-aged.” The library does not have an age limit. Apart from fellow Pakistanis, Nepalis and Indians who can read Urdu also come to the library. “Some younger generation can still speak Urdu fluently. But in Hong Kong, they write and speak mostly in English. It is already busy for them to take care of both Chinese and English.” said Mr Minhas Rashad from Kung Yung Koon, who is a Pakistani serving ethnic minorities. Nowadays, many Pakistani families are rooted in Hong Kong, and speaking Urdu is not a must for the children.
“Many of them think that learning English is more advantageous.” When the language of their own ethnicity is gradually eliminated by Chinese and English, he feels pity. But he understands that due to practical concerns, learning international languages is more important after all. Even if they return to Pakistan, speaking English is still of an advantage — knowing how to speak Urdu is enough, it is not a must to know how to read and write in Urdu. “Some people would like to learn Urdu, but cannot find a way. There are not many ways to learn Urdu in Hong Kong,” said Mr Sagar. Isn’t library the only place convenient for ethnic minority groups to learn Urdu besides the Internet? “We should not forget our own culture, just like the Chinese. There are Chinatowns all over the world. Culture is the root of human beings. This place (Hong Kong) is my home. I am a Hongkonger. But I still think my own (Pakistani) culture is very important,” he said.
A book-loving poet who believes literature can cross borders…
Mr Sagar’s son-in-law, Isrian, happened to also be in the library. “Pakistan is an Islamic country in which there are a lot of poems and history books related to religion,” he said. Each place has its own unique works, and Pakistan is no exception. Its religious background makes the literature even more special, which has also become the key to understanding this country and its religion. “In fact, there are lots of literature in Pakistan, mostly rich in philosophy of life. The roots of India and Pakistan are similar, and so are the ancient books.” Minhas supplemented.
At the beginning of the interview, I noticed that Mr Sagar’s eyes were not focusing, seemingly unattended. But it was not because he was not sincere. He kept watching the photographer who was shooting the books behind me. He was very concerned of his own books. When the photographer picked up the Qur’an, he became even more nervous. “It is a holy book. Be careful!” “Mr Sagar is truly a book lover.” said Isrian.
Mr Sagar has a great interest in religious and history books. When I asked him to recommend one, he took out a book with a cover showing a hand holding rose petals under the moon. Who wrote this book? I was told it was a poem anthology, and I only realised later that the poet was Mr Sagar himself. He has already published two anthologies, one of which is called “Unaccomplished Dreams”. He is already planning to publish the third one. Isrian said that his poems are about life, and the lives of Pakistanis.
Mr Sagar is a permanent resident of Hong Kong after living here for many years. His poems, of course, have traces of Hong Kong. The anthology is filled with beautiful characters I cannot understand. I could only rely on Mr Sagar to translate the content of the poems for me. At that moment, I really hoped that I could read Urdu and enter their world. He explained that some poems are about the situation of Hong Kong too. He once referred to the handover of Hong Kong and the succession of the Chief Executive, “I wrote about the departure of the British and the arrival of the Chinese Government. Also the leaving of Chee-hwa Tung and the succession by Donald Tsang.”
A portrait of a gentleman was hung on the wall of the office. I guessed he might be a Pakistani political leader or figure. It is not uncommon that people in some countries worship their leaders. It turned out I was completely wrong. He is Iqbal, the poet who inspired Mr Sagar. He is a Pakistani poet and philosopher who is well known in Iran, India and Pakistan. “There are good messages in his poems.” Mr Sagar said that Iqbal’s poetry is always inseparable from humanistic values. I have never heard of this great poet, but I believe that literature can cross borders. If we can break through the language barrier, we will see the world on the other side. When I asked Mr Sagar to recommend one poem from Iqbal for me and the readers, he hesitated and said, “he wrote way too many good poems.”
Share, so that literature never dies…
When Abbas visited Mr Sagar’s office, he saw a variety of books, including novels and poetry. “This is the only place I know where I can read Urdu books.”
As a poet and a book lover, Mr Sagar holds a lot of events inviting poets from different countries to the library, so that everyone can gather together. There is a large event once a year and many small gatherings from time to time. Inspired by his friends, he organises a book fair in front of the Mosque every summer and gives books to people for free. This is the second year of the event. “It was a great success last year, and people took a lot of books away.”
Abbas is a friend whom I met in the library and he is one of the active participants. “Poet Sharing holds fortnightly. Most of the participants are Pakistanis. Everyone takes turns to share his works. There is even a snack time. There are about 15 to 20 poets gathered together, and they are all very talented.” Abbas is a poet passionate about literature. He first came from Pakistan to Hong Kong as a refugee in 2010.
He recalled that he noticed a poetry event, which was held by Mr Sagar, from the newspaper. This was their first encounter: “Mr Sagar is a friend, and a father.” It may sound exaggerated as I may not translate it well. They have known each other for a long time. Abbas always exchanges his ideas about literature with Mr Sagar. Both of them are poets, fond of literature and from the same country. This is why they seem like old acquaintances. Whenever Abbas mentions Mr Sagar, he adds a title that I do not understand, but I can feel the sense of respect. “Mr Sagar respects me and likes my poems.”
When Abbas visited Mr Sagar’s office, he saw a variety of books, including novels and poetry. “This is the only place I know where I can read Urdu books. Whenever I want to read, I just go straight to the library from Sham Shui Po, either pay an occasional visit, read some books, or meet other poets and Mr Sagar.” Mr Sagar also invites him to participate in different literary events and introduce different poets to him. Abbas is a teacher himself. To him, the gatherings feel like sharing his own lessons, reminding him that literature never dies.
“The library is open to all. You may borrow the book as long as you are a member. No matter what your nationality is, you are warmly welcomed by Mr Sagar whenever you need a book, and he will say, “Come here my friend!” Abbas sometimes recited some verse in Urdu during the conversation. Although it may sound meaningless to me, I can sense his emotions. “Reading literature is like making an ocean drop by drop,” he said.
Library is a cultural bridge and friend of different ethnic minorities groups…
“I like the idea that people can get together and read here,” said Mr Sagar, “if I have the time and money, I will turn it into a larger library.”
If we need a library, how about the locals or visitors with different skin colours?
Although it is called a “library”, it is hard to run it in a large scale by individuals’ efforts. As it is hidden in a small office, sometimes the readers inevitably mixed with the clients. “The library is so small that there are only four seats. We cannot accept more books even though some people want to donate more.” Abbas emphasised the scarcity of space of the library repeatedly.
“What can you do to help Mr Sagar? If there is support from you and the government, that will be very helpful.” Abbas asked enthusiastically. In fact, as a member of an ethnic minorities commission under a political party, Mr Sagar has already applied to the government for a place to establish a library for ethnic minorities a year ago. The application is still under consideration. “What I need is only a place. I have not applied for subventions.” Mr Sagar said that he does not mind paying by himself. He just needs a larger space to collect more books in more languages. “Not only for the Pakistanis, but also other ethnic minorities like the Filipinos, Indonesians, etc.”
Many people learn English or European languages, but Urdu is less popular. If one day we want to learn more on Urdu and their culture, we can apply for membership of Mr Sagar’s library.
“Hong Kong 2011 Population Census Thematic Report: Ethnic Minorities” mentioned that Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalis accounted for about 13% of the non-Chinese population, and more than 40% of the ethnic minorities live in Hong Kong for 7 years or more.
After a few featured interviews, we found that foreign language bookstores do not only provide resources for their own people, but serve as a bridge between the locals and non-mainstream cultures.
There may be more libraries in the future that cater to the needs of ethnic minorities. Then there will be no need to bring books from afar. And Abbas’ dreams of having a spacious room with a dazzling collections of different languages can come true. “A larger library can hold more people, that would be great,” Abbas said, “that would be great!”
“Hong Kong 2011 Population Census Thematic Report: Ethnic Minorities” mentioned that Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalis accounted for about 13% of the non-Chinese population, and more than 40% of the ethnic minorities live in Hong Kong for 7 years or more. Are there still a lot of Abbas in Hong Kong? If we need a library, how about the locals or visitors with different skin colours?
A collaborated translation by Frances Lai, Kenneth Lai, Karman Wong, Rachel Yan and Sunny Yung, based on the article “填補華文主流的匱乏：巴基斯坦圖書館Sagar library” published on the Initium on Oct 20, 2016 https://theinitium.com/article/20161020-culture-hkforeignlangbookstores-06/
