October 4, 2009
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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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