The Chamms Masked Dances by the Monks of Chemrey Monastery – Ladakh
Lamas of the ancient Chemrey monastery performing the Masked dances in Leh in which they enact religious tales with a moral. The stunning colors of the flowing robes combined with … Continue reading
Traditional Sports of Ladakh – Polo
Where else would we find a monastery, a chorten, mountain peaks AND polo players in the same shot??!!! The cheerleading squad – traditional drummers The teams A flying horse? A … Continue reading
An Appeal for “The Blue Veil Project”
The magnificent head dress of Ladakh – the Perak laden with rows and rows of turquoise gem stones and coral, is probably among the most exquisite bridal ornaments in … Continue reading
Ancient Murals of Alchi Monastery – an art-collector’s delight
Alchi is a sleepy and simple unglorified village about 70 km to the West of Leh. Nothing in its approach route or in the buildings and structures of the village … Continue reading
A night-out with the Nomads of Changthang
Dreamt of spending time with nomads for a long time. To experience their minimalistic lives, to observe the mental strength with which they embraced the harshness of nature, to … Continue reading
Dreams I dreamt and realised – Ladakh
Each of us is born with a curse – a predominant sentiment that rears its head at almost every occasion. My curse is ‘disbelief’. Every day something good happens that … Continue reading
Dreams I dreamt but did not live : the Ambubasi Tantric Fair
My first visit to the Kamakhya temple or Kamakshi temple exposed me a little to its history and to its significance. Every year this temple celebrates the Ambubasi Tantric fair … Continue reading
Travelling between two eras – an encounter with Pushpa the maid servant
Pushpa used to work for the previous owners of our portugese villa before the family dissipated in numbers and before the house fell to ruin As per Goa laws, she … Continue reading
Lives of Others – The Beggar-Toddler
A hot summer noon. Sometime in the year 2008. A crowded traffic junction in a suburb in Mumbai. ‘Crowded’ as defined by Bombay peak hour standards. Me in an autorickshaw … Continue reading
Antique Jain Paintings, India
Jainism as a religion has harmony with all elements of nature as one of the core beliefs. Non violence, minimalistic living and compassion are values central to its philosophy. All … Continue reading
Antique Sculptures of Buddha
Crowned Buddha in Dharmachakra, 11th century. This sculpture is a typical representation of ‘Pala’ art found in Bihar, India. Many such scultpures were placed in niches around the Bodh Gaya … Continue reading
Christian Paintings from the Past
Old. Beautiful. Full of stories. Full of devotion. Antique Church Paintings. Many of these are on wood board. Others may be on canvas. Some hang high up on walls and … Continue reading
Church of St. Francis Xavier of Assisi, Old Goa
I studied at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai, and my school was a convent run by a nun order that is closely associated with the Jesuit priests, an order started … Continue reading
Shadow Puppets of Malaysia, Indonesia & South India
Wayang Kulit is the name given to folk ‘shadow’ puppet shows performed in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. The puppe tperformances are usually story telling mediums and most stories narrate excerpts … Continue reading
Viva San Jao
24th June 2011 A second visit to the wonderful non-touristy festival in Goa! For the local people and by the local people. Vibrant colors, Vibrant music, Vibrant boat decor and … Continue reading
Invitation to a Lambani Gypsy Tribal Wedding
A Lambani Gypsy family. A Village in Karnataka, India. May 8th 2011. An arranged marriage. This is an account of a gypsy tribal wedding in a tiny village that had … Continue reading
Yak Horn textile adornments, Sikkim
Yaks must be much loved creatures since their owners – the Dokpas – who adorn them so fashionably! The behavior of yaks is best described in Heinrich Harrer’s book ‘Seven … Continue reading
Sikkim Diaries
‘To live many lifetimes within a lifetime…”. Its time for another lifetime! My trip to Sikkim in March 2011, was planned during the week of Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebrations. … Continue reading
Chanting ceremony at Kagyud Monastery, Lingdum, Sikkim
The Kagyud Monastery was the best experience of my Sikkim trip. This is the monastery that I will return to someday. On the first visit, 2 days prior to Losar, … Continue reading
Lama Dances at Thongsa Monastery, Kalimpong
The dates for my Sikkim trip were arranged so that I could experience the Lama Dances at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. Information on the net was sketchy, but some websites … Continue reading
Breathtaking Mural Paintings of Sikkim Monasteries
The images need no supporting words… Just a small preface …all images were taken inside a large hall lit only by a few butter lamps. I have not used a … Continue reading
