Posted on: 30 October 2011

Its 30th October 2011 !!

Well…its been exactly two years since we started this interesting little experiment called RBSI on Facebook !

To put it simply, its been such an interesting journey for so many of us. A journey that has been filled with so many discoveries… in history, art and sculpture of this incredibly wondrous and complex land of ours called - India. Along the way… we have discovered many of our latent interests, made new friends and in a strangely curious way…even discovered a bit about ourselves ! People have come and people have gone… though many have left their indelible mark in those wonderful discussions which some of us remember. Yet there are those who continue to contribute their knowledge, research and thoughtful opinions consistently on these posts with such scholarship and dedication that we can only admire. My grateful thanks to all of them.

Till date, we have complied a collection of more than 2800 rare books, rare prints, photos, sculpture and art on RBSI. It has been an absolute joy to discover and post on a new subject everyday…and much to the disbelief of those who think it is hard work…I can say that this process does not take much time and it only seems to have a therapeutic effect at the end of the day. More so when you realize that so many thousands seem to enjoy it as much as I do. But then, I am equally astonished when the FB Insights shows that RBSI has 1.5 million 'monthly post-views' by members and non-members together… which can only be termed as flattering !! That's quite a response… thank you !

There is no particular agenda for RBSI other than the simple love for knowledge in all its wonderful forms. It will retain its adherence to authentic sources and post as many versions of a subject or event and leave it to the readers to 'think for themselves' and evolve their own little versions of history. The minute we are able to understand that there are many perspectives to a historical event and begin to think for ourselves…we would then have inadvertently gained our freedom from propaganda and rhetoric… which would otherwise certainly overwhelm us. Maybe we could call this… as a new starting point for learning !

And to end on a more joyful note…there is yet so much more to learn and discover about Indian history and art !

How long will this experiment go on ? Well, thats anybody's guess. But till then…welcome aboard and enjoy the ride.

Warm Regards,
Subbiah Yadalam
Founder - RBSI

The RBSI website which was initially scheduled to have gone online today is in the final stage of completion and we hope to release it soon.


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Comments from Facebook

Thnk U RBSI...I owe a lot of gratitude for such wonderful gifts!!!

Thank you Subbiah Yadalam for what you have done !!!! You have given us a window to this fantastic world of rare books. Please keep it up and once again you have my gratitude !!! God bless ....

Its a real extraordinary effort. Thank you .

Subbiah Yadalam Sir, through Ur Wonderful Page, i have made many valuable Friends & got many books ... Thank U Sir :)

Cannot thank you enough!! Wish u all the best for your website. Thanks for the lovely treasures that we receive from you :)

Thanks Mr. Yadalam for your efforts. Whole new horizons have opened up to us, on the information posted by RBSI. Happy Birthday !

Thanks for this experiment. We are obliged. :)

Thank you for your efforts. They are highly appreciated.

Rare Book Society of India, for many like me, you have been the main reason for continueing to be on Facebook. Thank you very much.

Excellent work done RBSI!

Great work. I have discovered many wonderful gems, thanks to you. Looking forward to more.

Happy Birthday RBSI . It is such a delight to read your posts and the attached comments are enriching.....just love it . Keep it up !

RBSI has been excellent source of info on History. This has been the main page to visit everytime i open FB.

A great job done.... delivering great knowledge to us.

This is a wonderful initiative. Thank you so much for taking it up. I hope it will continue as long as there is more knowledge to share! Wish you all the best!

Congratulations, and warmest thanks for this yeoman service!

Subbiah Yadalam, compiling a selection of more than 2800 rare books, prints, photos, sculpture and art in two years on RBSI is no ordinary feat - that comes to four selections for every day during this time! :) Congratulations on this tremendous accomplishment!

A momentous anniversary - the second of many many more. Please may this experiment continue into infinity? .... you have achieved a wondrous thing. Congratulations! And you're right - the knowledge and insights we have gained along the way are so worthwhile. But I think that gaining such wonderful new friends has been like finding the crock of gold at the end of the rainbow. Thank you so much.

I am so glad that you have undertaken this project ,and hope you continue . I Enjoy reading and learning about our history and culture , every day .

... Many Happy Returns, RBSI .... I can remember the dim, dusty and distant days when this project had only a few hundred followers ~ I see that, as of today, the membership stands at over 11,400 and continues to grow ! ~ a remarkable achievement in such a comparatively short space of time....More power to your elbow ( keyboard ? ), Subbiah.

Great initiative.. carry on the good job...We shall figure out a way and take it to the next level..RBSI shall live till earth endures.

I enjoy it very much....makes the best peek into the present and past.

thanks for enriching our lives in such a beautiful way, subbiah...

Kudos, Mr. Yadalam. This is yeoman's service.

There are many groups on the Facebook but I find none to be as fascinating and illuminating as the RBSI. This is mainly due to the dedication and efforts of just one man - Mr Subbiah Yadalam. The delicate balance he maintains in keeping discussions going - often representing opposite poles - is masterly. His selection of rare books, drawings, quotations etc is thoughtful and balanced. I have benefitted a great deal from this Group and made some excellent friends. I have only one word of caution for the uninitiated: It can be addictive.

Wow!! Keep it up.The only reason I am still on facebook and a regular visitor is for RBSI and few sites like these. tremendous work and all the best

Thank you all for your generous words of appreciation and encouragement. Its been such a pleasure and a joy interacting with so many wonderful people over here and it has indeed been a rich experience for me. But then as Asad Ahmed cleverly observed in his comment above... "I have only one word of caution for the uninitiated: It can be addictive." : ) And therefore move on...we must ! Best Regards...

Thanks and congratulations Subbiah for the spread of knowledge hidden rare books, some of which we could not find.

Subbiah Yadalam Your contribution to "sanity on the net" is unparalleled. The last two years that you gave me have added twenty years to my life. RBSI is an idea whose time is now and now-on.

India is a land of extremes - in economic disparities, in political philosophies, in religious beliefs, and in social stratifications. Nearly all of these are represented in the RBSI membership. Hence it is not an easy task to moderate such a diverse group - yet all of them love books and rational debates. The secret of Mr Subbiah Yadalam's shining success lies in the fact that he is able to touch both extremes at the same time.

Thank you Asad Ahmed... for your kind understanding of the challenge encountered by someone who presents topics on history which are often prone to be inflammatory in this complex country of ours. It is not an easy task to expect dispassion and detachment from people generally and persuade them to see issues from an intellectual perspective. Hence many are offended and leave quite abruptly. Quite frankly...its exhausting to see forces playing up on one of the most peace-loving peoples in the world through emotion and distortion. Its not two sides wich are at fault...but rather many sides in my opinion. The only remedy for a thinking individual in such a situation is to expose oneself to many versions, perspectives and pasts in order to to understand the complexity and persuasions of the times and not fall prey to simplistic emotional baits. The more we learn...the more we understand how inter-linked and inter-connected we all are through the lens of the past. And thanks to Shekhar Sathe... for that one single compliment which makes all the efforts of RBSI worthwhile ! : )

Belated Happy birthday, RBSI! And many many more to come... Am hoping to get back to being more regular after some time but be sure I come and check out whats happening even if i do not always comment! Here's hoping you go from strength to strength!

Just two years and we have already been treated to so much! RBSI is indeed a "rare" book society. May this book have no end!

Horray!

Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful gems of Indian related Art, culture and history. I only recently discovered your presence on facebook, and have become a regular visitor to your splendid site.