11. The Jaffna Public Library, Sri Lanka
Established in 1933, the Jaffna Public Library was one of South Asia’s largest, housing over 97,000 volumes, including rare Tamil manuscripts. On the night of May 31, 1981, during a period of ethnic unrest, the library was set ablaze by organized mobs, resulting in the destruction of invaluable cultural and historical records. This act remains a poignant symbol of cultural loss amid conflict. For a visual account of this tragic event, you can watch the following documentary: Jaffna Library 1981 Documentary
