Dear
Joe Omigo,
Thank
you for your email. In the last set of photos that I had sent
you, the event was Shoton Festival. This is a festival held every
year and forms a very important part of the Tibetan culture. The
Dalai Lama blesses the festival with His presence if he happens
to be in Dharamsala. But in Independent Tibet the Dalai Lama graces
this festival every year and is celebrated with great pomp and
show. People enjoy this festival which carries on for many days
on end and is marked with merry making. This photo shows an opera
being performed by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts. I
took these photos during the last day of the festival. The single
girl standing in the costume is a fairy in the opera.....the one's
wearing large round red hats are the kings servants. The pair
of shoe is a traditional Tibetan shoe....which unfortunately is
worn during dances and operas.....moreover these shoes are very
warm and not suitable for Indian climate. A unique thing about
this is that this can be worn irrespective of right leg or left.
It is then tied at the upper level of the calve just below the
knee with a thick string. The one wearing a pointed white hat
is the king and facing him is his queen in the opera.
I
am glad that my photos will be of some helping create awareness
among westerners.
Take
care my friend,
adeious
Omigo,
wangden