A remarkable underground library containing several tens of thousands of rare books and manuscripts has been identified beneath the historic Tal Koti palace near the city of Tikamgarh in India, reports the Times of India.
This historical discovery was accidentally made by Vivek Kshotriya, who has recently been appointed as the new tax inspector for the Tikamgarh area. Vivek recalled stories from his childhood about hidden treasures told by his grandfather and grandmother and decided to verify whether the rumors were true.
Kshotriya surveyed the area around the palace and discovered a hidden door in the old building. When he ordered the door to be opened, people were left in awe: a vast library filled with the most ancient, historical books and manuscripts was revealed, which had been closed off beneath the palace.
The library has a total of five underground levels, housing approximately over 50,000 books and ancient manuscripts. Among them is an extremely rare work titled "Drawings of Gandhi" created by the famous artist Felix Topolski, as well as several valuable manuscripts written in Sanskrit about the history of Indian principalities.
Some of the books are well-preserved, while others have suffered damage over time. However, the majority of these ancient treasures remain in a readable condition. Some book covers are made of genuine leather, while others are crafted from delicate silk. Although the pages have yellowed, they are still legible.
Experts note that the library was previously open to college students but was closed due to a scandal involving a former librarian 20 years ago and has been forgotten for many years.
Currently, the country's leading scholars and experts have begun to thoroughly examine these books and catalog them. The damaged manuscripts have been entrusted to specialists for restoration and conservation throughout India.
According to Vivek Kshotriya's plan, this underground library will be transformed into a unique cultural center in the near future, serving as an excellent destination for scholars, historians, and tourists coming not only from the local area but from all over the world.
Thus, this accidentally discovered underground "treasure of knowledge" may continue to serve humanity for many years and add new chapters to our cultural history.
