Black Hat Dancer In the “Shana Cham” –or “Black Hat Dance” –the dancers represent powerful yogis who can destroy and create life: Wangduephodrang Tsechu, Wangduephodrang, Bhutan.
Over the last few weeks, Bhutan, that Haven of Happiness, has been making an appearance in my various electronic news feeds and re-asserting itself into my consciousness. In part, this is because it was around this time of year, six years ago, that I visited.
I was in this beautiful Himalayan Kingdom for two weeks in September 2009, as part of a tour with photographers Gavin Gough and Jackie Rado. We traveled across Western and Central Bhutan in a bus, with our stops timed to coincide with major tsechus (Dzongkha: ཚེས་བཅུ།, literally “day ten”) – annual religious festivals grounded in Tibetan Buddhism. Between three- and five-days long, the festivals comprise a program of Cham dances: costumed, masked dances that depict religious history and moral teachings. Accompanied by percussion instruments, the rhythmic dances are considered a form of meditation and an offering to the gods; they bring merit to participants and audience alike.
The first festival we attended was at Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag Dzong(the “Administrative Fortress” of Wangduephodrang) in Central Bhutan. This is the same temple-fort which made the international press when it burnt to the ground in June 2012. The loss of the original wooden landmark, built between 1638 and 1639, was considered a great tragedy and cause for national mourning. Reconstruction – in the original style but with modern amenities and fire-safety measures – started early 2014 and is expected to be completed by December 2018. In the mean time, the annual Wangduephodrang Tshechu has been held at the nearby Tencholing Army Ground.
So, we were very luck to be there to appreciate the tshechu in its age-old setting.
There are just a few rules to observe for visitors in this very traditional culture: covered arms and legs are expected inside the temple grounds, and no hats are allowed.
Mist in the Valley It’s a beautiful September morning over the Puna Tsang ChuValley in Wangduephodrang, Central Bhutan. The weather should be fine for the tshechu.
The Audience Inside Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag Dzong, villagers in their best traditional dress are already seated on mats on the ground in the courtyard. The morning sun is still throwing long shadows, but the temperature is already rising.
Venerable Monk The crowd in the courtyard range from the elderly …
Hot Baby … to the very young, …
Young Girl … all dressed in their brocaded finery with snacks at the ready.
Getting Dressed Behind the scenes, dancers get into their elaborate costumes …
The Eye in the Eye … most of which have macabre masks.
Stag Practicing Back-Bends Other dancers limber up back stage …
“Shawa Shachi” … before performing elaborate dances that tell stories …
“Dance of the Stag and Hunter” … of the battle between Ugyen Rimpoche and the King of the Wind.
Black Hat Dancers The black hat dancers feature in a number of the cham dances.
Black Hat : Orange Pants They represent yogis who protect the good in the world and destroy evil.
Black Hat : Red Boots One of their dances portrays victory over a Tibetan king who tried to destroy Buddhism.
Black Hat : Green Brocade Their elaborate outfits swirl around them …
Black Hat Dancer … as they dip and sway, trancelike, …
Black Hat Dancer … in their rhythmic dances.
Inside Wangduephodrang Temple Attending a tshechu gives the watchers blessings and washes away their sins.
Fearsome Animal An ornately dressed dancer in his red mask and horns represents an animal.
Black Hat Dancer The different black hat dances have different rhythms and steps, …
Black Apron … and signify different stories – not that I could recognise which was which.
Spidermen at the Tshechu In a wonderful “clash of cultures”, these boys, wearing Gho (traditional knee-length robes), have their own version of masks to enter the spirit of the dance.
Atsara the “Transcendental Clown” Not all the dances are serious. The Atsara is a clown with a red wooden mask with a big phallus on top. This one seems to be chasing a tiger.
Watching from the Doorway The day grows hotter and spectators cling to small patches of shade as they watch the ongoing dances.
Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag Dzong As I head into the ancient structure and up old wooden stairs, I can’t help but admire the building’s intricate details.
Wolf-Creature The sun gets higher, and more and more wild creatures come out.
Handsome Father
Handsome Son
Black Hat Motion The next group of Black Hat dancers come out …
Black Hat in Motion … swirling in a blur of colour …
Black Hat Motion … and banging their drums.
Old Woman in Pink The building’s soft furnishings are as colourful as the clothing worn by the attendees.
Like a Dream And, the dances continue…
Black Hat Dancers … with countless players. Because so many masked dancers are needed, registered dancers can be fined if they refuse to perform during festivals.
Bhutan is a conservative country, and was closed to international tourists until 1974 – when 300 people visited. Although I was one of 23,480 tourists in 2009, and there were many non-Bhutanese people at the tshechu we attended, I still felt exceedingly privileged to be there. I remember the heat from the unremitting sun beating on my bare head, and the noise from the constant clash of drums assaulting my ears, but I was aware that I was witnessing a tradition that dates back to the 8th and 9th century, when Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), the father of Tibetan Buddhism, recited mantras and performed rites and dances to conquer local spirits and gods – and to convert opponents of Buddhism.
It is always interesting to return to old photos. Reliving the memories is wonderful – but, as I look at pictures taken so many years ago, I can appreciate how much I have learned about photography and about my equipment since then.
It just makes me want to go back and do it all again!
Till then ~
Happy travels!
Photographic notes: pictures taken 26September2009 with my old Canon EOS 400D – edited in Lightroom 5.
Two Trees Deadvlei, in Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia, is a white clay pan, dried out over 600-700 years ago, dotted with dead camel thorn (Acacia erioloba) trees and surrounded by some of the highest dunes in the world.
Namibia is big.
And dry.
Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, which makes for clear skies, cold nights, and – even in winter – searing-hot days.
Deadvlei (“Dead Marsh”),in Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft Park, almost 400 hot, bumpy kilometres from the capitol, Windhoek, must be one of the driest places in this big country. During a period of drought, some 700+ years ago, the Tsauchab River stopped flowing through the area, and encroaching sand dunes blocked and diverted the river channels. As a result, the flood plain that had played host to camel thorn trees became parched, and the trees died where they now stand: desiccated and preserved by sunshine and dry air.
I posted a few pictures taken in Deadvlei(Portrait of a Dead Tree) back in August, while I was still in the country. I was travelling with a small group lead by Namibian guide Morne Griffiths under the direction of photographer Ben McRae, with Pedro Ferrão Patrício from Photoburst. We made our first excursion into the clay pan late one afternoon before the sun set.
Early the next morning, we were back for another look.
Tree at Sunrise We stayed close to the Sesriem Gate overnight, so as to be on the move as soon as the Namib-Naukluft National Park gates opened in the morning. The desert night temperature was close to 0° C, and it was still cold as we drove to the meeting point to find our jeeps.
Bare Tree
Morning on the Dunes
Dawn Ride
Sunrise over Deadvlei Dunes From the jeep drop-off, it is about a twenty minute walk across shifting sands.
Deadvlei Trees I made it into the white-clay pan before the sun could reach all the way over the dunes.
Deadvlei Tree The surrounding dunes turn orange as the sun rises.
Parched Clay At the edges of the white clay pan…
Leading Lines … a few camel thorn trees somehow find enough moisture to grow in the arid environment.
Deadvlei Landscape The trees in the middle of the pan, however, died and dried out some 700 years ago…
Still Life on Rough Ground … and lie where they have fallen…
Like a Sculpture … or stand like wild creatures against the dunes.
Clay Remnants Patches of white clay curl on the red sands.
Colour Contrasts As the sun climbs over the dunes, the colours become more dramatic…
Tuft of Grass … and the sun glistens off the sands and tough desert grasses.
Incoming Tourists As we make our way out of the clay pan, jeep-loads of tourists walk into the area. Clearly, the pan is going to become crowded as the morning advances.
Climbers on the Ridge
Ripples and Waves
Footprints Some small creature has left its mark in the sands of the dune.
Loo with a View Back at the jeep parking lot, the rising sun packs heat that bleaches the landscape.
Gemsbok (Oryx gazella) As we leave the Namib-Naukluft National Park, an oryx watches us.
It is a fascinating landscape, with a personality all its own.
I was so pleased to have been able to explore it in the relative quiet of the morning, before the arrival of the worst of the heat and crowds.
[…] Dunes of Namib-Naukluft ParkThe next day, after an early-morning visit to Deadvlei (see: Dead Trees and Dunes) we are back in open-air jeeps bumping across the […]ReplyCancel
Perennial Cornflower: Centaurea Montana Wet weather high in the Swiss Alps washes the summer mountain flowers, leaving the colours fresh and bright (iPhone5).
Ever since reading Heidi as a child, and “studying” Switzerland in Grade 3Social Studies, I have dreamed of walking in the flower-filled meadows of the Swiss Alps. When my husband and I planned to visit some Swiss friends last year, I thought my chance had come.
So, if I wanted Heidi’s mountains, I needed a Plan B.
I booked an extra week in Leysin, a village at 1263 metres in the Vaud Alps, high above Aigle in the Rhone Valley (q.v.: A Walk through the Waters), home to international schools and a sports academy, and reputed to be a year-round holiday resort with access to hiking and mountain-biking trails. I imagined myself singing “The Hills are Alive” (ok – wrong country, but same mountain chain…)
One day, when we thought there was enough of a break in the rain, we attempted a hike up hill: aiming for the Berneuse(2048 m.), a near-by mountain-top with a glass revolving restaurant reputed to provide a 360° panoramic view of the Valais mountains and over the Rhône Valley to the Dents du Midi, Lake Geneva and the Jura Mountains.
After we set off, however, the rains started again. With umbrellas and raincoats, we slogged up hill, hoping it would ease – which it did, but not soon enough. Wet to the skins, the highest point we reached was Le Témeley, a fromagerie-buvette (“cheese-refreshment” house) at 1705 metres; well short of our original aim.
The Mountain Village of Leysin Normally mild and sunny with fresh mountain air, this little village on the front face of the Tour d’Aï in the Vaud Alps was a health resort for people with lung diseases in the fifties.
House in Leysin Sloped metal roofs shield homes through winter snow-falls. (iPhone5)
Mountain Goat Thanks to modern laser-cutting, traditional Scherenschnitt (intricate Swiss paper-cutting) patterns are now available in wood. (iPhone5)
Trail-Side Wildflowers For much of our walk up the hill, the rain was too hard to even attempt photos. Finally, it broke.
Happy Cows The cows don’t seem to mind the wet…
Snail … and of course, the large, slow snails love it.
The Chalet Témeley Half-way up our planned route, and rather later (and wetter) than we expected, we arrived at Chalet Témeley: a cheese-making farmhouse operated in summer by the Cornamusaz family.
Welcome to the Alpine “Le Témeley” We’d arrived too late in the day for the standard lunch…
Slabs of Cheese … but thanks to our multi-lingual Swiss friends, Mme. Cornamusaz, the farmer and cheese-maker, took pity on us and let us into the dark outer rooms. Wet and bedraggled, we sat over hot tea and coffee, fresh bread, and huge chunks of home-made AïMountain cheese.
Mist in the Mountains We were warned against trekking any further, as the muddy pathway up the rest of the hill was slippery, steep, and unsafe because of the wet weather. So, after much coffee, cheese and conversation, we headed back down…
Big Masterwort: Astrantia Major … stopping for some flowers on the way.
Walking Marker Path-markers are painted on some of the moss-covered rocks we pass.
Cornflower: Centaurea Montana or Triumfettii The cornflowers – part of the daisy family – were among my favourite path-side wildflowers.
Steep Slopes The evergreens rise sleeply as the mountainside falls away toward the valley.
Flowers on the Verge A delicate mix of wildflowers colours the side of the path.
Globe-thistle: Echinops Sphaerocephalus
Mountains of Vaud From our vantage point, we can look down the mountain to Leysin and Aigle and beyond, to where the clouds sit over the Rhône Valley.
Cows Cows – all wearing bells – wander at will …
Cows … and watch us as we pass …
Cows … before wandering off down the path themselves.
“Glockenblumen” or Bell-Flowers: Campanula Rotundifolia Raindrops cling to the leaves and petals of the bellflowers …
“Glockenblumen” or Bell-Flowers: Campanula Rotundifolia There are more than 50 species of bellflower in the Alps.
Wild Roses
Down the Hill We work our way back down the hill…
Farm House with a View … past farmhouses before arriving back in the village.
Even though we walked half as far as we had planned, we arrived back at our lodge wetter and more tired than I had expected. The cold mountain rains had sucked all the warmth and energy out of us. But, we enjoyed our evening meal all the more for it.
I’m stuck in an armchair at the moment, with a pair of crutches at my side. It was another mountain that put me here – well, to be fair, it wasn’t the mountain’s fault: the Australian spring snow was heavy, my ski bindings were too tight, and I took a clumsy fall. No “weight-bearing” for many weeks for me.
So, I sit dreaming of walks in mountains.
Even a wet, cold walk has its beauty – and is better than no walk at all.
[…] Château de Chillon; Schaffhausen and Neuhausen am Rheinfall; Gruyères; The Salt Mines of Bex; Leysin; Lucerne; […]ReplyCancel
Noemia Maxwell -June 20, 2019 - 10:08 pm
I would love to walk around the area and would appreciate any advice on guided walks, sites, hotels or guest houses.
I fell in love with your photos!ReplyCancel
Hi Noemia,
Thanks for your visit! There is plenty of accommodation in town. We just picked up a local map for walks, etc, from our accommodation, but you can get information from the official Swiss tourism site (https://www.myswitzerland.com/en/ ).
Cheers! UrsulaReplyCancel
Princess Leia’s Slave Costume It is an iconic costume: the metal bikini worn by Princess Leia when, in Star Wars: Episode VI, Return of the Jedi, she is captured and forced to become Jabba the Hutt’s slave and trophy.
“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….”
I saw on the news this week that Princess Leia’s iconic gold bikini from Return of the Jedi going to auction shortly, and is expected to fetch between $80,000 and $120,000 USD.
I was a keen fan of those original Star Wars movies: not such a big fan that I’d invest in a metal costume – even assuming I could afford it, but a fan none the less. The first movie, released in 1977, came at a time when my world was on the brink of change, and it felt as if I was riding a new-age wave. I was not alone, and the series became a considerable pop-culture phenomenon.
Of course, like many emerging trends, it failed to live up to my expectations in the long term, but it is still fun to go back and revisit those days when fantasy and science fiction seemed to promise a hope for change in the real world.
On my previous visits to Seattle I’ve always admired the EMP (Experience Music Project) Museum. The building is all metal curves, and from sunrise to sunset reflects the city’s distinctive skyline in vibrant colours. On our most recent visit to the city, the EMP was featuring a temporary exhibit of hand-crafted costumes from the six Star Wars movies.
It was too good an opportunity to miss, so I finally made a visit inside … and down memory lane.
Yoda Puppet A puppet, used by Frank Oz and Mark Hamill to rehearse lines for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, sits at the top of the stairs.
Attendant An attendant goes through the rules of admission – which of course include strictly “No Flash!” She also enumerates some of the highlights around the museum.
Darth Sidious Costumes are an integral part of a character’s portrayal. The costumes for Senator Palpatine change in style, colour, texture, and ornamentation, in line with his metamorphosis from seemingly benevolent Senator through to despotic Emperor.
C-3PO Who doesn’t love the stuffy, somewhat pompous, protocol droid C-3PO?
Velvet Dress I am much less familiar with the later movies – the prequels, in effect – but I believe this is one of many richly-made elaborate costumes worn by Padmé Amidala, mother of Luke and Leia.
Intergalactic Queen and Entourage As a Princess, then Queen, and finally Senator, Padmé Amidala is richly costumed and well accompanied.
Mongolian Royal Inspired Senate Headdress Padmé Amidala’sSenate costume pays homage to the elaborate Mongolian court dress of the past.
Sang Jun Lee Costume Sketches “Costume is not separate from character design.” – Sang Jun Lee, Concept Artist, Episode III
Doug Chiang Character-Board “In order to create a future, we looked into the past, and drew inspiration from history and nature in order to give our fictional creations a realistic foundation.” – Doug Chiang, Design Director, Episode I, II
Lightsabers Star Wars introduced the laser sword to the world. In retrospect, this – and the Jedi“force” – is a natural progression from Eastern martial arts, but at the time it seemed quite revolutionary.
Two Sides of Leia Princess Leia, disguised as a bounty hunter on the left, was perfectly capable as a warrior. Actress Carrie Fisher said of the slave costume: “It was like the bikini from hell. It was like steel, not steel, but hard plastic, and if you stood behind me you could see straight to Florida.”
Tusken Raiders The Sand People or Tuskens are a nomadic tribe, indigenous to the fictional desert planet Tatooine.
Darth Vader Listed as the third-greatest movie villain in cinema history by the American Film Institute, Darth Vader, master of “the Dark Side”, is an imposing figure.
“Thriller” We also wandered through the “Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror” section. I’m not a horror fan, but the videos of seminal directors talking about the history of the genre was fascinating…
“Shadow Monsters” … and playing with Philip Worthington’s interactive shadow monster installation was great fun.
“Labyrinth” In the “Fantasy: World of Myths and Magic” section, I found costumes from one of my other favourite movies: the 1986 “Labyrinth” with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. I thought this fantasy mask, suitable for a Renaissance Fair or a Venetian Ball, would make a fitting final image.
There was much more to see – and of course we explored Seattle’s music scene, including Hendrix and Nirvana. But, we were principally there for the film props and costume exhibits.
I’m glad I got to revisit my memories of the Star Wars movies – and to revel for a while in other fictions and fantasies of my younger, more hopeful, days. As it turns out, the Costume exhibit closes this week, and as I said earlier, that iconic bikini goes under the hammer.
Jaisalmer Predawn Lights bounce off Jaisalmer Fort as we huddle on a cold rooftop waiting for the sun to come up.
It was only the promise of masala chai, or “mixed-spice tea”, that got me out of bed before the sun, and onto a Jaisalmer rooftop with my tripod and cameras on a cold November morning.
I love chai.
Nothing says “India” to me like chai: that hot sweetened tea, made rich from the boiled buffalo milk (or full-cream cow milk) and spicy with the maker’s secret blend of ginger and cardamom, with cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, peppercorn, nutmeg and/or cloves.
Visitors to India are warned to avoid all kinds of food, but chai – depending on the cups it is served in – is pretty low risk. If the stand is busy, you can be pretty sure the milk is fresh; in any event, it is heated to boiling before being added to the tea mix. Although it is often served in small glasses, the vendors usually have paper or plastic disposable cups for nervous foreigners. Many years ago in Varanasi, I was introduced to buffalo chai in little terracotta cups: when your drink is finished, you throw the cup into a waiting receptacle, and if the cup breaks, you will have good luck.
Masala chai is also a great equaliser. It has been my time sitting in the rickety plastic chairs in front of curb-side chai stands in many parts of Indian that has allowed me to chat to people (albeit, often without a common language), and to give me the courage to ask consent for portraits.
So, when photographer Karl Grobl and local guide local guide DV Singh told me (and my nine travel companions) that there would an opportunity for a hot cup of chai at street level after our early-morning hour on a cold Jaisalmer rooftop, I grabbed my warmest clothes and set off.
Over the Rooftops The flat roofs of Jaisalmer are used for all manner of storage.
Jaisalmer Dawn Although the sun climbs quickly, the dusty haze keeps the late-autumn sky subdued.
Sunrise through the Latticework
House Crow (Corvus Splendens) As the light comes up, a common Indian crow joins us on the rooftop.
The Chai Wallah Down at street level, steam rises from a pot of freshly made chai as it is strained.
Chai Wallah The chai wallah (the maker of the chai, or spiced tea) is a fixture at this location: he chats to the locals who stop by for hot drinks and breakfast.
Pouring Chai The chai wallah pours hot, steaming chai into plastic bags for take-away orders.
The Chai Wallah Priests and holy men are among the customers waiting for the next batch of chai.
Showboating! Some chai wallah’s are well known for their showmanship, pouring steaming ingredients from great heights.
Adding Sugar Sugar and spice …
Simmering the Pot … and everything nice …
Straining the Chai … makes a pot of masala chai.
Pouring Cups of Chai
Woman and Daughter
Filling a Thermos Some regular customers bring their own containers for filling.
Street Life As the city wakes up, the street sweepers are out and about, chatting with friends.
Woman in Red Even a ghoonghat (veil or headscarf) can’t hide this woman’s smile.
- Performing the Ganga Aarti from Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi
- Buddha Head from Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
- Harry Clarke Window from Dingle, Ireland
- Novice Monk Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, Myanmar
Packets of 10 for $AU50.
Or - pick any photo from my Flickr or Wanders blog photos.
It just makes me want to go back and do it all again!
Even a wet, cold walk has its beauty – and is better than no walk at all.
