Young monk on the roof of Key Monastery, with solar panel. Photographer: Sutherland, Patrick
Scope & Content:
'A young monk on the roof of Key Monastery. Solar power is an ideal technology in this high altitude desert and is subsidised by the Himachal Pradesh state government. Many houses have solar powered lamps and some schools have solar powered cookers' (Patrick Sutherland).
Monks preparing food in the kitchen of Key Monastery, Spiti. Photographer: Sutherland, Patrick
Scope & Content:
'Monks in the kitchen of Key Monastery preparing food for the monastic community. A large cauldron of cricket ball-sized lumps of pak, a mixture of tsampa (roast barley flour), black tea and butter will be distributed along with rations of Tibetan tea' (Patrick Sutherland).
Young monks wearing ancient wooden masks during the dance festival at Key Monastery. Photographer: Sutherland, Patrick
Scope & Content:
Genre: Portrait Photography Portrait of two monks wearing masks, with monastery buildings in the background: 'Young monks wearing ancient wooden masks during the dance festival at Key Monastery. These Bakhtuk act as jokers during the performances, teasing the older monks by mimicking them and ...
Kachen Lama, the oldest monk in Spiti. Photographer: Sutherland, Patrick
Scope & Content:
Genre: Portrait Photography Half-length portrait, seated inside a room in the monastery: 'The late Kachen Lama, until recently the oldest and most venerable monk in Spiti. His injured arm is held in a sling suspended from the ceiling. After his death, the villagers in Key established Spiti’s fi...
The Gelong Rinpoche and lamas at the Pin Valley monastic dance festival, Gungri Monastery, Spiti. Photographer: Sutherland, Patrick
Scope & Content:
View looking towards the Gelong Rinpoche, seated on a shaded throne, with lamas blowing long trumpets in the foreground: 'The Gelong Rinpoche and lamas at the Pin Valley monastic dance festival (cham). The Rinpoche is the current reincarnation of a line of previous spiritual heads of Gungri Mona...
Young monks studying religious texts at Key Monastery, Spiti. Photographer: Sutherland, Patrick
Scope & Content:
Genre: Portrait Photography 'Young monks studying religious texts at Key Monastery. Traditionally monasteries were the only centres of formal education in Spiti. Now there are also nunneries and many secular schools' (Patrick Sutherland).