SSP VIKRAM SINGH JAMWAL
Perched majestically on a hill overlooking the River Tawi, the Amar Mahal Palace is widely admired for its striking French château architecture and royal heritage. Yet beyond its golden throne, regal portraits and panoramic views lies a treasure often less spoken of but equally priceless – the Amar Mahal Palace Library, one of the most significant private libraries in Jammu & Kashmir.
Established after the palace was converted into a museum in 1975 by Dr. Karan Singh, the library reflects a deep reverence for scholarship, culture and intellectual pursuit that defined the Dogra royal household. Spread across the upper floors of the palace, the library houses nearly 25,000 carefully curated books, making it a rare cultural asset in the region.
A Collection Shaped by Royal Scholarship: The foundation of the library rests on the personal collection of Raja Amar Singh, augmented over decades by books collected by Dr. Karan Singh, a renowned scholar, philosopher and statesman. Together, these collections form a body of knowledge that spans centuries, continents and disciplines.
Unlike modern libraries built for volume, the Amar Mahal Library is distinguished by depth and diversity, representing a refined intellectual tradition where reading was considered an essential part of governance, spirituality and cultural understanding.
Subjects That Span Civilizations: The library’s holdings cover a wide range of subjects, with particular strength in religion, philosophy, history, politics and literature.
A significant portion of the collection is devoted to Indian philosophy and religion, including authoritative works on the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta, Shaivism and Buddhism. Comparative religion is another major theme, with texts exploring Christianity, Islam and world spiritual traditions, reflecting a broad, inclusive worldview.
Equally impressive is the history and political science section, which includes books on ancient Indian history, the freedom movement, constitutional studies and global political thought. Works by thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli and John Locke sit alongside Indian intellectual classics like Jawaharlal Nehru’s The Discovery of India, symbolising the confluence of Eastern and Western thought.
Literature: From Classics to Modern Voices: The literary section features Indian and international classics, including novels, poetry and essays that shaped literary movements of their time. Works of Indian English literature, alongside celebrated Western authors such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy and Victor Hugo, form an integral part of the collection. Many of these volumes are old editions, lending them both literary and historical value.
Rare and Antique Volumes: Perhaps the most captivating aspect of the Amar Mahal Library is its rare and antique books. These include early print editions, scholarly commentaries and volumes that are no longer in circulation. Some books date back over a century and bear the marks of careful preservation, making them invaluable for researchers and historians.
Due to their fragile nature, many of these works are preserved under controlled conditions, underscoring the library’s role not just as a reading space but as a custodian of heritage.
A Cultural Beacon, Not Just a Library: The Amar Mahal Library is more than a collection of books – it is a living symbol of Jammu’s intellectual and cultural legacy. In an age dominated by digital screens, its quiet halls remind visitors of a time when ideas were nurtured through contemplation, reading and dialogue.
For scholars, students and culturally inclined visitors, the library offers a rare opportunity to engage with knowledge in its most classical form. For tourists, it adds a profound intellectual dimension to their visit, complementing the palace’s artistic and architectural grandeur.
Preserving the Past for the Future: As Amar Mahal continues to attract visitors from across India and abroad, its library stands as a silent yet powerful testament to the Dogra dynasty’s commitment to learning and enlightenment. Preserving and promoting this treasure is not merely about safeguarding old books – it is about protecting the intellectual soul of the region.
In the quiet rustle of its pages, the Amar Mahal Palace Library continues to tell stories – not just of kings and scholars, but of a civilisation that believed knowledge to be its greatest wealth.
(Author is retired Senior Superintendent of Police, J&K and Secretary Amar Mahal Museum & Library)