The Archive of Sidrag Gonpa houses a vast and significant collection of liturgical manuals, philosophical treatises, and narrative accounts, all meticulously organized in the flexible poti style across multiple volumes of various sizes and formats. Most of the texts are handwritten manuscripts in the uchen script, inscribed with black ink on cream-colored, handmade Bhutanese paper. The archive also contains a few volumes of Bhutanese block prints. A notable treasure within the collection is the set of The Perfection of Wisdom in One Hundred Thousand Lines, a xylographic print derived from the Narthang woodblocks. The initial page (tog) of each volume is uniquely written in gold ink on dark blue paper. To honor the distinct presentation of these pages, only the opening pages have been digitized. In order to preserve these sacred manuscripts, they are stored on traditional bookshelves and carefully protected with multiple layers of cloth, ensuring their safekeeping for future generations. Each volume is secured between wooden boards fastened with string, a practice that reflects the deep reverence with which these spiritual treasures are maintained.
Extent: 1 collection of manuscripts containing 48 volumes.
Custodial history: The Archive of Sidrag Gonpa is currently under the custodianship of the Sibja Lama, as is the temple itself. The Sibja Lama lineage has been entrusted with the care of the temple for four generations. Prior to this, the temple was owned by the community of Nakha Trashigang village. During that time, the temple and its archive were maintained by a caretaker who was selected from the community to serve on a rotating basis. However, following the transfer of the temple’s ownership to the Sibja Lama, it became a private temple of the Sibja Lama family. As a result, the archive of Sidrag Gonpa also became the personal property of the Sibja Lama lineage.
Arrangement: The collection lacks a systematic arrangement or specific order.
Author(s)/Creator(s): The majority of the manuscripts were likely crafted within the temple premises by various individuals at different points in time, spanning from the 16th to the 19th century.
