Hidden treasures of the Himalayas

Alternate Titles

• Tibetan manuscripts, paintings and sculptures of Dolpo

Description

In 1999, a hidden library was found in the Nesar Temple at a remote village of Bicher in Dolpo, Nepal. It contains more than six hundred volumes of Tibetan manuscripts, ranging in date from the late 11th to the early 16th century. Among them some sixty volumes contain historical prefaces and more than one hundred volumes have beautiful illuminations of the scenes from the life of the Buddha and episodes from the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) texts. By studying these texts within and examining the styles of the manuscript illuminations, Amy Heller was able to shed light on the lost history of this remote Tibetan enclave, the spread of Buddhism in the Himalayas and its artistic legacy. In addition to the illuminations selected for publication, the reader will find a complimentary DVD that includes photographs of all volumes with dedications and other illuminations and historical documents preciously conserved in the Bicher village. A combination of Amy Heller's fine contributions, beautifully illustrated photographs, and a useful and accessible DVD makes this volume an important addition to the library of every scholar, collector and academic institution with an interest in Himalayan studies. In 1999, a hidden library was found in the Nesar Temple at a remote village of Bicher in Dolpo, Nepal. It contains more than six hundred volumes of Tibetan manuscripts, ranging in date from the late 11th to the early 16th century. Among them some sixty volumes contain historical prefaces and more than one hundred volumes have beautiful illuminations of the scenes from the life of the Buddha and episodes from the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) texts. These illuminations inform us about the donors, their costumes, their Buddhist rituals while the dedications tell us about the systems of patronage and donation. Some illuminations reflect the ancient manuscripts of Tabo and Tholing, others reflect the sophisticated Newar aesthetic of Kathmandu and all these diverse tendencies reached Dolpo where they were appreciated. By studying these texts within and examining the styles of the manuscript illuminations, Amy Heller was able to shed light on the lost history of this remote Tibetan enclave, the spread of Buddhism in the Himalayas and its artistic legacy. The manuscripts, sculptures and mural paintings discovered in Dolpo are the concrete expression of the complex economic, political, artistic and religious interactions between the people of Dolpo and their neighbors in India, Nepal and Tibet. In addition to the illuminations selected for publication, the reader will find a complimentary DVD that includes photographs of all volumes with dedications and other illuminations and historical documents preciously conserved in the Bicher village. A combination of Amy Heller's fine contributions, beautifully illustrated photographs, and a useful and accessible DVD makes this volume an important addition to the library of every scholar, collector and academic institution with an interest in Himalayan studies --Book Jacket.

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