An Adventure For Bibliophiles, This Secret Library In Jaisalmer Is Built 16Ft. Under Ground

Mad4India By Venus Jasuja | 2 min read

The Secret Library

All lost in the world of the internet today, we have forgotten that there are libraries that are the quintessence of knowledge and facts. It’s not a place to go read books and come back rather it’s a community-building platform where you absorb knowledge, have ideas, and meet like-minded people who discuss things. Because they act as gateways to knowledge and culture, libraries are crucial to society.

The Secret Library
Source: Pexels

Read about how Dr. Kurella Vittalacharya who built a library in his village in Telangana having 2 lakh books.

Holding a plethora of books and beautiful corridors, libraries have a lot to offer. But as simple as it sounds, have you ever thought visiting a library could be another adventure tour for you? Don’t be amazed. This is the most extensive underground library in the middle of the Thar Desert and will make you awestruck.

The Secret Library

All bibliophiles will be drooling over this enormous underground library in Rajasthan, an adventure in itself! The Bhadariya Library is located in the Rajasthani village of Bhadariya in the Jaisalmer district. There are 4,000 seats available at once in this enormous creation, which is 16 feet below the surface.

This library is one of the largest in Asia thanks to its vast 9,00,000-book collection. It is a valuable addition to the state of Rajasthan’s rich cultural legacy.

History of The Secret Library

Harbansh Singh Nirmal, also known as Bhadariya Maharaj and a native of Punjab, constructed it. The Jagdamba Seva Committee, also raised money to rebuild a goddess temple nearby. This place is home to the kuldevi Bhadariya Rai, who is the prime goddess of the Bhati dynasty which ruled Jaisalmer and still holds a significant role in the cultural-political arena of Jaisalmer.

library jaisalmer
Source – Facebook

For a look, it’s just a regional beautiful temple but underneath the temple lies the largest library in India’s largest state – Rajasthan. Around 1998 the book collection first started.

After the temple’s construction was finished, Bhadariya Maharaj suggested spending a significant sum of money to create sizable rooms for the library. According to legend, he spent several years in a single room, reading practically all of the books in this collection.

Now the village residents and temple worshipers together take care of the temple and of the hidden treasure of Thar.

A look Inside The Library

library
Source – Facebook

Exploring every aisle of the library would be a daunting experience for bibliophiles. The hallways are lined with hidden wooden frames housing a profusion of books. There is a mirror at the end of each aisle that reflects the novel experience that lies ahead in the realm of books. Even for people who don’t read, the charming library’s pastel-coloured walls add to its allure.

Books Collection

There are many volumes in the library’s collection that you won’t find elsewhere. However, the majority of the works about ancient Indian writings and scriptures are in Hindi. In addition, it contains an amazing selection of atlases and dictionaries in other languages.

library
Source: Pexels

The genres of books span various fields, including physics, astrology, astronomy, epics, history, dictionaries, and many others that have been around for a very long time. In fact, you will find some rarest subject matter books that can be found nowhere else in the country.

If you live for books, this is the place for you. Apart from all the heritage forts and places Jaisalmer houses, this secret library should count on your bucket list.

Feature Image Source: Pexels (1) and (2).

If you like this story, then read another inspiring story about how Ngurang Meena sets up a free self-help roadside library to instill the habit of reading in children and adults.

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