The Tharchin Collection, 1901-1975, bulk 1923-1963
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- Tharchin Collection
- Bib ID:
- 6905093 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Tharchin, G., 1890-1976; Tharchin Family
- Repository:
- C. V. Starr East Asian Library
- Physical Description:
- 7.58 linear feet (13 boxes)
- Language(s):
- Chiefly in Tibetan and English. Also includes some materials in Hindi and Urdu.
- Access:
-
This collection is located off-site. Box 9, which contains fragile photo negatives, is located offsite and restricted for preservation reasons; digital images of the contents are available. Most monographs were separated from the collection and catalogued in Columbia University's online catalogue. They can be identified by searching "Forms part of the Tharchin Collection" and requested for onsite consultation during scheduled hours in the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room, C.V. Starr East Asian Library. For further details, please consult the C.V. Starr East Asian Library staff.
Description
Scope and Content
The Tharchin Collection consists primarily of correspondence, publications and drafts, photographs, daybooks and financial accounts, and autobiographical materials. The geographic coverage of the collection spans both sides of the Himalayas, in particular, the activities of intellectuals, officials, missionaries, and other historical figures in India, Sikkim, and Tibet.
Items of special note include an early diary and travel-notes personally recorded by Tharchin; photographs of family members and noteworthy visitors in Kalimpong; a five-volume dictionary drafted by Gegen Tharchin; trade-related documents, including a "Certificate for Traders, Muleteers and Porters"; and an imprint of a seal designed for the "Future Democratic Tibet Government."
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Series 1, The Tibet Mirror (Yul phyogs so so'i gsar 'gyur me long)
97 print issues, various dates. For access, see CLIO: DS786.A1 Y85 (CLIO Link ). The reader may request onsite access during scheduled hours or by appointment in the Rare Book Room, C.V. Starr East Asian Library. Item Barcode: EA00062421.
Digital images for nearly the full run of this newspaper are also available.(CLIO Link )
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Series 2, Archival Materials from the Tibet Mirror Press Editorial Offices (Kalimpong, India)
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The correspondence listed below was addressed to Gegen Tharchin and in English, unless otherwise noted. About half of the documents were received as photocopies.
General Note
Columbia University is deeply grateful to the Tharchin Family of Kalimpong, India for making these research materials available. Additional papers, time and effort were contributed by Isrun Engelhardt, Herbert Fader, Paul G. Hackett, and Tina Harris
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in six series and several subseries: Series I. The Tibet Mirror (Yul phyogs so soʼi gsar ʼgyur me long); Series II. Archival Materials from the Tibet Mirror Press Editorial Offices (Kalimpong, India); Series III. Correspondence; Series IV. Audiovisual Materials; Series V. Printed Materials; Series VI. Miscellaneous.
Arranged in chronological order. Series 1-2
Arranged in alphabetical order. Series 3 and 5
Arranged primarily in the order in which the materials arrived. Series 4 and 6
- Series 1, The Tibet Mirror (Yul phyogs so so'i gsar 'gyur me long)
- Series 2, Archival Materials from the Tibet Mirror Press Editorial Offices (Kalimpong, India)
- Subseries 1, Biographical and Personal Papers, 1923-1974
- Subseries 2, Financial Accounts, 1918-1955
- Subseries 3, TIBET MIRROR PRESS Related
- Subseries 4, Subject Files
- Subseries 5, Other Materials
- Series 3, Correspondence
- Subseries 1, Individuals
- Subseries 2, Organizations
- Subseries 3, Miscellaneous Correspondence in Tibetan
- Subseries 4, Miscellaneous Correspondence in English and Other Languages
- Subseries 5, Unidentified
- Subseries 6, Letters transcribed by H.L. Fader [biographer]
- Series 4, Audiovisual Materials
- Subseries 1, Photographs
- Subseries 2, Black-and-white negatives
- Subseries 3, Other Images
- Subseries 4, Audio Materials
- Series 5, Printed Materials
- Subseries 1, Publications and Imprints of the Tibet Mirror Press
- Subseries 2, Publications by other India-based publishers
- Subseries 3, Publications published outside of India
- Series 6, Miscellaneous
Using the Collection
Restrictions on Access
This collection is located off-site. Box 9, which contains fragile photo negatives, is located offsite and restricted for preservation reasons; digital images of the contents are available. Most monographs were separated from the collection and catalogued in Columbia University's online catalogue. They can be identified by searching "Forms part of the Tharchin Collection" and requested for onsite consultation during scheduled hours in the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room, C.V. Starr East Asian Library. For further details, please consult the C.V. Starr East Asian Library staff.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Columbia University is providing access to the materials in the Library's collections solely for noncommercial education and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of Columbia University is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, C.V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University. In addition to permission from Columbia University, permission of the copyright owner (if not Columbia University) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distributions, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. Columbia University makes no warranties as to the accuracies of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Tharchin Collection; series #, box # and folder #; C.V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University.
Related Material
Most published monographs were separated from the collection and individually catalogued in the Columbia University Libraries' online catalog CLIO . They can be identified by searching "Forms part of the Tharchin Collection," and requested for onsite consultation during scheduled hours in the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room, C.V. Starr East Asian Library.
Accrual
Further accruals will be added to this collection as received
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact starr@library.columbia.edu for more information.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition--Tharchin Family. Method of acquisition--Gift;; Date of acquisition--Received: 2007-2016.
Source of acquisition--Hackett, Paul G.. Method of acquisition--Gift;; Date of acquisition--Received: 2007.
Source of acquisition--Harris, Tina. Method of acquisition--Gift;; Date of acquisition--Received: 2008.
Published monographs;: Source of acquisition--Hackett, Paul G. Method of acquisition--Purchased; Date of acquisition--2008.
Source of acquisition--Engelhardt, Isrun. Method of acquisition--Gift;; Date of acquisition--Received: 2010, 2013.
Source of acquisition--Fader, Herbert. Method of acquisition--Gift;; Date of acquisition--Received: 2010-2013.
Manuscripts: Source of acquisition--Tibet Mirror Press [i.e., Daniel Tharchin]. Method of acquisition--Purchased; Date of acquisition--10/05/2016.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, C. V. Starr East Asian Library
Processing Information
Processed by Lauran R. Hartley, with student assistants Mary Beth Morrissey, Jampa Choetso, and Tenzin Yewong Dongchung 2012-2016.
Finding Aid written by Lauran R. Hartley, with student assistants Mary Beth Morrissey, Jampa Choetso, and Tenzin Yewong Dongchung 2012-2016.
Revision Description
2016-07-21 File created.
2016-07-21 xml document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
Biographical / Historical
Gegen Dorje Tharchin (1890-1976; Tib. Dge-rgan Rdo-rje-mthar-phyin), also known as "Tharchin Babu" was founder of the Tibet Mirror Press in Kalimpong, India. In this capacity, he was renowned as editor of the Tibet Mirror newspaper (Tib. Yul phyogs so soʼi gsar ʼgyur me long) and the author or editor of many other Tibetan-language publications which circulated from 1925-1963 among Tibetan readers on both sides of the Himalayas, and as distantly as New York City.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
All links open new windows.