October 4, 2009
click on images to enlarge
About a week ago, I ran into a friend by the name of Don
Farber. He’s a world-class photographer and he had just published his newest
photography book, which he happened to have with him. The book blew me away.
Don has been following and photographing His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the
last 30 years and his newest book is the result of that huge body of work. His
Holiness the Dalai Lama, published by
teNeues Publishers (Germany), is nothing short of a visual biography of perhaps
the world’s most famous spiritual leader. The book is very large in dimensions,
the images are sumptuous in their simplicity, and the content is historically
invaluable.
A few days later, I had the chance to talk to Farber again, only this time I inquired about the “back story” of many of the photographs. He gave me permission to publish some of the photographs, along with his memories of the moment when he snapped the shots.
In 1989, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a ten-day
teaching on the Kalachakra in Santa Monica, California. Farber took this shot
the day before the teaching in the city’s Civic Auditorium. The Dalai Lama was
nearly alone in the auditorium, (just a few attending monks), making preparations for the public initiation the
following day.
1989, Santa Monica: During the 10-day teaching, monks
from Namgyal Monastery created a Kalachakra sand mandala. At the end of the
teaching, His Holiness physically dismantled the mandala – a practice in
impermanence. Farber told me, “The monk behind His Holiness was either holding back
the folds of his robe, so that they wouldn’t touch the mandala, or perhaps he
was just holding the Dalai Lama to help keep his balance. Once the Dalai Lama
had completed his part, monks came around with little brooms to gather the
colored sand. The sand was then secured in a container. Then they all rushed out
and into cars waiting outside and drove to Marina Del Ray, south of Santa
Monica, where there is a dock jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. The Dalai
Lama poured the sand into the Pacific – a gesture and blessing to benefit the
nagas in the sea.”
1997, Dharamsala, India, home of Tibet’s Government-in-Exile.
Farber remembers: “It was the morning of the first day of Losar [Tibet’s New
Year celebration]. It is a tradition for His Holiness to acknowledge the crowd who converges to join in the
New Year festivities.”
In 1997, Don Farber received a Fulbright Scholarship to document the “religious life of Tibetan refugees” in India. The Dalai Lama assured Farber
that, sometime during the summer, while he was in Dharamsala, he would arrange
for the photographer to photograph him in various activities. “I was invited to the ‘Palace’,
which isn’t really a palace, but it’s what they call the Dalai Lama’s residence
in Dharamsala. I was asked to arrive very early in the morning before sunrise. These two
photographs were taken in his private quarters. He allowed
me to observe and capture his early morning practice.”
1997, Siliguri, India. “Siliguri is in northern India,
just below Darjeeling. His Holiness was giving the Kalachakra initiation and it
drew an enormous crowd. I was told 250,000 people attended. Tibetans from Tibet
came. Bhutanese came. The local hill tribe people came. And of course many
people from all over India and Nepal attended as well. The shot we are looking
at was of monks while they were receiving the initiation. You see that some of the monks have the headbands
covering their eyes. It is symbolic of their vow to keep the secrets of the
Kalachakra to themselves.”
2007, Washington D.C. “This photograph of His Holiness on
the steps of the Capital Building was taken on October 17, 2007, immediately
after the Dalai Lama had received the Congressional Gold Medal. It was a
thrilling day of course. The President of the United States, and all the dignitaries
were on hand for the presentation. Afterward, His Holiness went outside to give
his address. And I took this shot.”
2009, New York City. “Tibet House of New York hosted
this event in the New Beacon Theater. The date was May 4. His Holiness’
teaching was on the Quintessence of Compassion."
On Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 2pm, Don Farber will give a
live presentation about his new work at the Pacifica Asia Museum, located in
Pasadena, California. For reservations and full details click here: Pacifica Asia Museum
To see more of Don Farber's work, go to his website: www.buddhistphotos.com
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