Desna's library, established in 1892, had thousands of old Persian and Urdu manuscripts. After the partition of India, during uncertain times of mass emigration to Pakistan, the books were donated to Khuda Bakhsh Khan Library in Patna, where a Desna section was established to house these treasures.[3]
Desna also had a wall with gates encircling the village, defending it from outsiders.[3]
Rizvi, Syeds, Zaidi and Mallicks were the prominent families living together.