Maniguh
Maniguh
मणिगुह Library Village Maniguh | |
|---|---|
Village | |
| Maniguh | |
| Nickname: Library Village of Uttarakhand | |
Maniguh Location in Uttarakhand, India Maniguh Maniguh (India) | |
| Country | India |
| State | Uttarakhand |
| District | Rudraprayag |
| Tehsil | Rudraprayag |
| Block | Augustmuni |
| Elevation | 1,628 m (5,341 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 747 |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 246442 |
| Vehicle registration | UK |
Maniguh also known as Library Village Maniguh is a village in the Augustmuni block of Rudraprayag district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Situated in the Mandakini River valley of the Garhwal Himalaya, it is recognised as the Library Village of Uttarakhand due to a community library initiative launched by the Hamara Gaon Ghar Foundation on Republic Day 2023.[1][2][3][4]
Geography
Maniguh is located at an elevation of 1,628 metres (5,341 ft) amid terraced fields characteristic of the central Himalayan foothills.[5] It lies approximately 15 km north of Rudraprayag, 7 km from Augustmuni, and 36 km from the Kedarnath route via Bedu Bagad, with the last 13 km on unpaved roads.[6]
Road access is via National Highway 107 and National Highway 7, with PIN code 246442 served by the Bhatwari post office.[7]
Demographics
The total population of the village is estimated as 747 people.
Library Village initiative
Launched to address low literacy and out-migration, the project by Hamara Gaon Ghar Foundation, a registered company under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013, led by Suman Mishra, Bina Mishra, Rahul Rawat and Aalok Soni.[8][9][10]
They established a central library by January 2023, initially with over 4,000 books. The collection has since grown to more than 17,500 volumes in Hindi, English, and regional languages, covering literature, textbooks, competitive exams, science, history, children's books, Uttarakhand movement records, and rare Nawal Kishore Press manuscripts.[6][11]
It prioritises works by Uttarakhand authors including Lalit Mohan Thapliyal, Bhagwan Singh, Shashibhushan Dwivedi, Anisur Rahman, Khurshid Alam, and Avinash Mishra.[12][1]
Eight decentralised "Book Temples" supplement the main library, alongside facilities for free computer training, internet access, smart classes with projectors, and digital literacy programs.[1] Open free on working days, it attracts 10–12 children daily plus women and youth.[9] Activities encompass the three-day Gaon Ghar Mahotsav cultural festival, book marathons, pine needle crafts, and beekeeping workshops.[13][14][15]
Economy and tourism
The economy relies on terraced agriculture (apricots, oranges, figs), livestock, and nascent tourism via homestays for trekkers and educational visitors, aimed at retaining youth.[16]
Gallery
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Gaon Ghar Library
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Readers at Gaon Ghar Library
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Gaon Ghar Library
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Women making Rakhis from Pine needles
References
- ^ a b c "उत्तराखंड में बन रहा 'लाइब्रेरी गांव', पुस्तक मंदिर में मिलेंगी ये सुविधाएं" [A 'library village' is being built in Uttarakhand, with these facilities available at the book temple.]. AajTak (in Hindi). 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (2023-01-22). "Republic Day 2023: Uttarakhand's first theme village library ready for inauguration". ETV Bharat News. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (2023-01-27). "Uttarakhand Library Village: रुद्रप्रयाग में उत्तराखंड के पहले 'लाइब्रेरी विलेज' का हुआ उद्घाटन" [Uttarakhand Library Village: Uttarakhand's first 'Library Village' inaugurated in Rudraprayag]. ETV Bharat News (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Chatterjee, Prof Amitabha. "IASLIC Newsletter" (PDF). Indian Association for Special Libraries and Information Centres (January–February 2023): 5.
- ^ "Elevation of Maniguh, Uttarakhand, India - MAPLOGS". Worldwide Elevation Map Finder. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ a b "उत्तराखंड का मणिगुह : पहाड़ की चोटी पर किताबों वाला गांव, खास हैं पुस्तक मंदिर" [Maniguh in Uttarakhand: A mountaintop village of books, with its special book temple.]. GaonJunction (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ PinCodeArea. "Postal Code: MANIGUH, Post Bhatwari BO (Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand)". PinCodeArea. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Sharma, Adarsh. "हिमालय की छांव में 17,500 किताबें! उत्तराखंड के इस गांव में सजी है ज्ञान की अनोखी दुनिया; एक बार आइए तो सही" [17,500 books nestled in the shadow of the Himalayas! This village in Uttarakhand is home to a unique world of knowledge; visit once.]. News18 Hindi.
- ^ a b Narson, Dr. Shrigopal (2024-09-13). "देवभूमि उत्तराखंड में है एक अनूठा पुस्कालय गांव!" [There is a unique library village in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand!]. Chanakya Mantra. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ IndiaFilings. "HAMARA GAON GHAR FOUNDATION | CIN U80301UR2022NPL014318 Company Details". IndiaFilings. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Joshi, Himanshu (2023-04-09). "पुस्तकालय गांवः प्रकृति और किताबों का अनोखा मेल, गांवों की तस्वीर बदलने वाला सफल प्रयोग" [Library Village: A unique combination of nature and books, a successful experiment that changes the picture of villages]. Navjivan (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Pimoli, Kamal Kishor. "भारत का सबसे अनूठा 'लाइब्रेरी विलेज', 250 परिवार और 17 हजार से ज्यादा किताबें" [India's most unique 'Library Village', 250 families and over 17,000 books]. News18 Hindi.
- ^ Bharatvarsh, TV9 (2024-08-08). "पहाड़ में चीड़ के पत्तों से हो रहा कमाल, महिलाएं तैयार कर रही हैं स्पेशल राखी" [Pine leaves are doing wonders in the mountains, women are preparing special Rakhi.]. TV9 Bharatvarsh (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-03-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (2023-08-27). "चीड़ की पत्तियों से कमाल कर रही मणिगुह की महिलाएं, बना रही इकोफ्रेंडली राखियां, दूसरे राज्यों में बढ़ी डिमांड" [The women of Maniguh are creating wonders with pine leaves, making eco-friendly rakhis, with demand rising in other states.]. ETV Bharat News (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Nagar, Akash (2023-05-22). "उत्तराखण्ड में हुआ पहला पुस्तक मैराथन" [First book marathon held in Uttarakhand]. Retrieved 2026-03-04.
- ^ Sharma, Adarsh. "बादलों की रजाई ओढ़े हैं उत्तराखंड के ये 5 हसीन ठिकाने! मानसून में दिखते हैं सबसे खूबसूरत.. यहां एक बार आना तो बनता है" [These 5 beautiful places in Uttarakhand are shrouded in clouds! They are at their most beautiful during the monsoon season, and a visit is a must.]. News18 Hindi.