NAGPUR: While Nagpur is still shaking off its sleep, a group of youths are walking along the banks of the Pili river with notebooks under their arms. Your path takes you past stone paths and crematoriums. But they are not part of a funeral procession; They are on their way to a study center just 20 meters from burning pyres.At the Nari Takshashila Nirvan Ghat crematorium in north Nagpur, the civic body runs one of the city’s most unusual public spaces – a two-story, 5,000 square meter library and learning center that has become a haven for aspirants preparing for some of India’s toughest competitive exams.In neighborhoods where cramped spaces, common areas, and constant noise leave little room for concentration, silence feels like a luxury. The slowly moving Pili, flanked by almost 1,500 trees, creates a silence that envelops the study center like a blanket. Two ancient wells and a humble idol of Lord Shiva add to the silence, which is only intermittently broken by the crackling of pyres and cries of mourning.The space was born out of an idea by former corporator Manoj Sangole that it was more than a library but a peaceful learning environment that the young people needed. “A crematorium usually comes with an end,” says Sangole. “But this place could give young people a chance to get started.” The proposal received support from the civic body and was implemented in 2017, during the tenure of then committee chairman Dayashankar Tiwari.Built at a cost of Rs 92 lakh, the center has the usual facilities of a reading room while the city administration provides 18 daily newspapers, an important resource for exam candidates. The students themselves bring their own books.On most days there are around 25 to 30 students studying here. 23-year-old Rohit is preparing for the banking exam and is one of the early arrivals. “At home there is noise and constant commotion. So it is difficult to concentrate there. Here the environment itself forces you to concentrate,” he says.For railway aspirant Priya, the location initially felt unusual. “But when you sit here, you realize how quiet it is,” she says. “It doesn’t feel sick. It feels motivating,” adding that the noisy neighborhood makes it difficult for her to study. “This makes the center the best place to study without distraction.”During study breaks, students walk along the riverbank, work out in the “green gym” on site or simply sit under the trees. “It clears your head,” says UPSC aspirant Ankit. “You come back to your desk with a fresh mind.”The study center can already boast a number of success stories. Vipin Lamsonge, once a regular here, has secured a job in the railways while Deepak Khorgade has made it into the Indian Navy. Caretaker Meena Khaparde says the number of students fluctuates as the groups progress. “Many of those who studied here are now working,” she says. The current regulars include Samayak Sangode, a NEET aspirant from Kadu Layout, who has been coming here for over a year. Grade 12 student Anshul Rangari calls it “the most peaceful place I have ever studied.”Sandhya Nagdeote, who runs the institution, says the aim was never to create a conventional library. “This place is designed to provide students with a platform to prepare for government jobs,” she says. “Books can be arranged individually, but silence cannot.” The center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. A proposal of Rs 25 lakh for two additional sheds is pending, which could increase the seating capacity.
