Bhadariya Library

The Bhadariya Library is an underground library located beneath the Shri Bhadriya Mata Ji Temple in Bhadariya village, Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan. Built 16 feet below ground level, it houses over 900,000 books across 562 glass shelves and has a seating capacity of approximately 4,000 people. Founded by Harbansh Singh Nirmal (Bhadariya Maharaj), this unique structure remains cool even during desert summers and represents one of Asia's largest underground libraries.

Visitors descend approximately 16-20 feet underground via stairs to enter a labyrinthine library spread across 15,000-16,000 square feet. The space features narrow corridors lined with 562 cupboards containing books on diverse subjects including religion, science, history, philosophy, law, medicine, and literature. Most books are in Hindi, with some in English and Sanskrit. The underground location keeps the library naturally cool. Visitors can also explore the temple complex above ground and observe the large cow shelter (gaushala) housing thousands of cattle.

The library was founded by Harbansh Singh Nirmal, also known as Bhadariya Maharaj, a religious scholar from Punjab who lived in solitude at the temple premises for 25 years. Construction work began in 1983 and was completed by 1998. Nirmal collected books starting in 1998 and raised funds for the temple and library construction before passing away in 2010. The library was intended to serve as a center of knowledge and university for scholars.

The library holds cultural importance as a repository of knowledge in rural Rajasthan, housing texts on Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and other religions alongside secular subjects. It attracts visitors from Rajput, Bishnoi, and Jain communities during four annual festivals. The site combines religious worship at the Shri Bhadriya Mata Ji Temple with educational purposes through its extensive book collection.