The Kingdom of Bhutan nestles in the high Himalaya between India and China. Closed to the outside world for centuries, this remote land is now welcoming foreign visitors to experience the natural beauty of its landscapes and the harmony of its traditional way of life. With World Discovery Bhutan tours you will get to explore a unique destination which has come to be known as the ‘Last Shangri-La’.
Bhutan Tours – National Library, Thimphu
Thimphu’s National Library, established in 1967, houses an extensive collection of Buddhist literature, with some works dating back several hundred years. It has been planned as “a major scriptural repository and research facility dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the rich literary, cultural and religious heritage” of Bhutan. The building is very lavishly decorated and is said to represent the finest Bhutanese architecture. On the ground floor, among the highly prized collections, there a book reported to be the heaviest in the world, weighing 59 kilograms (130 lb), known as “Bhutan:a Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom “.
Bhutan Tours - National Library, Thimphu
Most of the books are Tibetan in style, printed or written on long strips of hand-made paper stacked between pieces of wood and wrapped in silken cloth. There are also historic photographs and examples of the carved wooden blocks used for printing books and prayer flags.
The library is circumambulated by devotees as a mark of worship by the devout as it enshrines holy books and images of Bhutan’s famous people such as the Zhabdrung, Namgyal, Pema Linga and Guru Rinpoche. Read more »
