In marked contrast to yesterday's quiet and peaceful atmosphere, today the 3-day religious festival has begun and there were thousands of people crammed into every possible nook and cranny. I am surprised (and pleased) to see only a handful of tourists in the crowd, all were carrying a lot of expensive camera gear. The locals are dressed in their colourful 'Sunday' best, but very few have ever seen or touched a camera, and I see only two Bhutanese use smart phones to take photographs.
The warmth and genuine respect I receive from every stranger I have contact with (apart from one French tourist!!) catches me by surprise. It is so much more than mere courtesy I receive from these strangers. I am welcomed instantly into family groupings, and proudly offered seats in the best positions - all without exchanging a single 'word'. I start to pick up on shy signals of curiosity, and when I garner the courage to make a gesture asking to take a photo, I am usually rewarded with a willing nod, a look of bemused pride and then great joy when they see their image in my LCD screen.
Vajrayana Buddhism is the official religion of Bhutan, but prior to the 8th century, animism (the belief in spirits inhabiting natural objects) was practiced. Many of the sacred masks and folk dances of the Punakha Tshechu masked dances (Drametse Nga Chham ) incorporate the elements and symbolism of animism and eradication of evil spirits.
It was so crowded today, that by the time I realised I was going to be shooting into the harsh contrasting sunlight of the courtyard I was unable to move from the first floor balcony, or even shift a little to change composition. I decided to expose for the bright sunlight and luckily a dancer finally faced my direction. I went home a little annoyed with myself for travelling so far to see the festival and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I do however like the light in this shot, and I have some lovely portraits of the children on the balcony.
If you are interested, this youtube video is quite representative of the Tshechu - it is a little chaotic, and while I still don't understand most of what was happening, that does not really matter.
The video is well documented in English so that was good! Interesting to see the dance and the costumes. Reminds me of Thailand.
You weren't affected by the earthquake in Nepal?
You weren't affected by the earthquake in Nepal?
I think the light you captured and the shadows give this image a very dramatic effect! I think in so many ways much better because of that!