Nepal's International Book Publisher and Distributor

Featuring works on Buddhism, the Himalayas, Nepal, and so much more

I sat down with Mr. Bidur Dangol to discuss his role as one of Nepal’s premier publishers and distributors of academic, fiction, children’s, and photography works. I have known Bidur for over a decade. His company has published seven works by the Chödung Karmo Translation Group, for which I provided editorial support in the creation of The Meditator’s Nest.

Owner Bidur Dangol and author Robert Vanwey at Vajra Books in Thamel, Kathmandu.

Vajra Books is one of the longest-running book shops and publishers in Nepal. Its specialties are on the topics of critical importance to the country—Buddhism, Himalayan studies, history, anthropology, and cultural studies. In addition, Vajra helps create and sell photographic publications that feature many of the exquisite landscapes and structures Nepal has to offer. Since opening his own place and becoming a publisher in 2003, Bidur has strived not only to encourage the creation of excellently crafted works, but to make them available to an international audience. For a long time, he told me, his dream was to reach the United States and European markets, and after decades of hard work, he has realized that dream. Vajra now sells in three physical locations in Nepal, online, and through a variety of outlets in the UK (Watkins Books), Switzerland (Garuda Verlag), the United States (Namse Bangdzo Book Store), Germany, Singapore, and all throughout India.

Vajra’s international presence has resulted in its carving out a unique niche in the bookselling market. Bidur’s audience and contributors now include international students and scholars, tourists, and interested readers across the world. Famous scholars regularly find their way through Vajra’s doors, such as Charles Ramble of the University of Oxford and author of The Navel of the Demoness, Tibetan and Himalayan Healing, and others; David P. Jackson author on Tibetan art, literature, and history, including A Saint in Seattle, The Mollas of Mustang, and Enlightenment by a Single Means; and Giovanni Verardi, author of Excavations at Harigaon, Kathmandu: final report. So, too, have well-known photographers, such as Kevin Bubrinski and Mani Lama, among many others. One scholar from Japan described Vajra as “a mecca for books on Eastern culture and religion.”

Bidur Dangol sitting with Giovanni Verardi, scholar of Archaeology, formerly at the University L’Orientale’ of Napoli.

Vajra’s is a large audience, yet an interestingly small world. Located in Kathmandu’s tourist district, Vajra Books serves as a gathering place for all different people, often igniting impromptu meetings among famous names and those just visiting Nepal for the first time. Other times, inquisitive tourists who have never heard of the store step inside merely by wandering the tumultuous streets of Thamel, and quickly become members of Vajra’s club. By simply strolling amongst the tightly packed shelves, one feels immersed in a sea of knowledge, curiosity, and wonder, whether a first-time visitor or longtime associate. The shop in Thamel has a street-facing floor and a whole section upstairs in the rear of the building. His extremely knowledgeable staff can guide visitors to nearly any title.

With such a diverse readership, Vajra publishes primarily in English, but also in Nepali, French, and Tibetan. Moreover, there are technically two Vajra entities—Vajra Books, and Vajra Publications. The latter publishes the academic works, and relies on Vajra’s community of academics, scholars, and experts to assist with editorial efforts. Bidur considers himself an independent academic publisher, which means if he accepts a manuscript—based on the subject matter and academic rigor—he works with the author to seek funding through subventions and other resources. The former, Vajra Books, tends to feature fiction and children’s works, but typically within the same general themes as the academic works. Having secured international respect, books published by Vajra typically do quite well on the market. And with social media, both Vajra and its network can promote works very broadly. Vajra has a particular advantage over other publishers as well. It is generally cheaper to produce high quality works in Nepal than it is in most western countries. This, coupled with the fact that a large portion of his buyers still purchase works directly from his stores in Nepal, means that most authors do quite well in overall sales.

Bidur’s care in building his reputation and developing a strong business model has also enabled him to weather some serious storms. In April and May of 2015, Nepal suffered a series of catastrophic earthquakes, which killed thousands, destroyed a great deal of infrastructure, and severely slowed tourism. Not only did Vajra persevere, in part propped up by its online and international sales, but it also re-released a major work that helped preserve the cultural and structural heritage sites of Nepal in print and photos. The timing of this release was critical for Nepal’s tourism economy, as well as for those who immediately went to work repairing and restoring these places damaged by the earthquake. Bidur has overseen the re-release of other works at crucial times as well. When COVID scourged the globe and many places went into lockdown—including Nepal—Vajra once again turned to its international and online audience. As most of the world shuttered in place, the ability to distribute works across the planet proved highly beneficial for sustaining Vajra as a business, but also provided some respite for so many who had little choice but to wait out the worst of the pandemic in isolation. Unfortunately, lockdowns dragged on for a long time in many places, and the supply chain disruptions led to significant increases in costs at every level. So, like everyone else, Vajra suffered a barren period from which it continues to recover.

As our conversation over coffee amidst the vast oceans of books nearly concluded, I asked Bidur if there were specific works he wanted to mention. He first brought over a copy of From Goddess to Mortal. This book is the life story of a Royal Kumari, thought to be a living goddess, who stepped away from that life and eventually became a software developer. Bidur says this remains one of his longest, bestselling works. Next, Bidur handed me Authenticating Tibet; Answers to China’s 100 Questions. Katia Buffetrille and Anne-Marie Blondeau edited this book. Buffetrille—pictured below at Vajra Books—is a French ethnologist and Tibetologist, and Blondeau is a French Tibetologist, both at the École Pratique des Hautes études. Buffetrille is holding Drenpa’s Proclamation, a treatise on the the rise and decline of the Bön religion in Tibet.

Another work Bidur presented was Yak and Nak go on a Trek. This children’s book provides an amusing story set in the high elevations of Nepal, and frankly would entertain even adults who have the remotest interest in life in the Himalayas.

Kathmandu is filled with cultural icons like Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Patan Durbar Square, and more. But no place in Kathmandu brings all of those cultural icons together under one roof the way Vajra Books does. If you find yourself in Kathmandu, stop in for a visit. Or check out their website. All the relevant information is below.

For more on Bidur’s history in the book business, see Mark Turin’s 2019 interview here.

To visit Vajra Books’ website click here.

Vajra Books and Vajra Publication
Jyatha, Thamel, P.O. Box : 21779, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-1-5320562, 
Mobile: 9851071473
E-mail: Vajrabooks@hotmail.com , Vajrabooksktm@gmail.com

For more information on Vajra Publications click here.

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I am a Certified Forensic Computer Examiner, Certified Crime Analyst, Certified Fraud Examiner, and Certified Financial Crimes Investigator with a Juris Doctor and a master’s degree in history. I spent 10 years working in the New York State Division of Criminal Justice as Senior Analyst and Investigator. Today, I teach Cybersecurity, Ethical Hacking, Digital Forensics, and Financial Crime Prevention and Investigation. I was a firefighter before I joined law enforcement and now I currently run a non-profit that uses mobile applications and other technologies to create Early Alert Systems for natural disasters for people living in remote or poor areas.

Find more about me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Mastodon. Or visit my non-profit’s page here.

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For more places to visit in Nepal, see the stories below.