Kathmandu Valley. A small hotel on the edge of the ancient city of Bhaktapur. I’ve eaten a chocolate bar for dinner, downloaded all the footage from today and started a backup as my last chore before heading to sleep. I’m taking this opportunity to share a few moments from the last few days.
Tonight is our last night in Kathmandu Valley with Tashi. Tomorrow we start driving towards the Mustang Kingdom, and the origins of Tashi’s story.
We now have nearly three terabytes of footage from Tashi’s time in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. Hidden away on that little SSD are some very special moments. Like when he shared a copy of the very first ever movie he made after getting a new DSLR camera. There are still photos from earlier this morning when we shared a lime juice and sugar cane at a local fruit stall. Roti and chai feature heavily from the day before that. And before that our time at Swayambu to greet the sunrise.
Today was extra special though, because Tashi made a complete stranger very happy today. In the soft light of dawn Bhaktapur is a quiet place to wander, with veggie stalls near Taumadhi Square offering the most compelling photography. Tashi and I enjoyed the cool air and friendly faces. Some of which I had photographed once or twice over the years, and still recognise me and my camera.
One such lady, Kumari, not only remembers me but she also remembers my photos. Hidden away in her shop is a little folder filled with photos that various strangers have taken of her over the years, but kindly sent her a copy. I hear people say “I’ll send you a copy” so often, but very very few people ever do. We return home from a journey and our regular life takes over and things like arranging to post a photo to Nepal slide down the list of urgent matters.
Despite all this, Kumari has a great collection. Including two of my photos. I even have a photo of her holding a photo that I gave her.
I never get to share many words with Kumari when I visit Bhaktapur, as she speaks very little English and I speak even less Nepali or Newari. But Tashi managed to talk with her in greater detail. Within a few minutes she’s grabbing my hand, as Tashi explains she want’s me to take her photo at the temple. She climbs the stone steps and poses, so I duly oblige with the camera. She keeps waiving me to come up the steps, and before too long we’re inside the little temple admiring a carving of Ganesha.
I’ve taken a lot of photos at this stage. I’ve got my 18mm prime on the LUMIX S1RII, which is not necessarily the ideal lens for portraits. But also, not a terrible lens for portraits either. I prefer a 35mm in normal situations, but in the tight space of this street-side temple, 18mm serves me well. Kumari is ringing the bell to announce her devotion, and continues talking even though I don’t understand a word.
I glance around the corner and realise that the morning light is starting to stream into the rear side of the temple. This design of building is modest, but elegant. The statue sits in the centre of a room within the room, and a narrow hallway allows attendees to walk all 360 degrees around it. The walls are in fact wooden lattices, elegantly carved in the Newari tradition. Light is streaming through the lattices, creating a warm glow and immense photographic opportunity.
Kumari is excited. Every photo is a treasure for her. The light is incredible. Kumari is compelling. Tashi is entranced. There are so many possibilities within this tiny little space, it defies the laws of physics. Art and science do not always speak the same language.
The morning sun through the wooden lattice is matched only by the glow on Tashi’s face. His mind is assembling photos long before the shutter has been triggered. He has a natural ability to compose a shot. We’ve talked a lot about my own foundation for good photography, and often it seems that Tashi already has arrived at the very same conclusion without even being aware of it. It’s a natural extension of his mind.
These photos will be some of the most treasured from our time in Kathmandu Valley for sure. Not just because they are intrinsically beautiful, but because the made today a super happy one for Kumari. Tashi still struggles to fully appreciate his own ability to bring joy to others. He mostly sees the world as a place where people bring joy to him.
And that makes for an absolutely fascinating journey.
Joy of Tashi
The story of a young monk in Nepal, on a journey to discover where photography and Buddhism come together.
Meet Tashi
