Photo 1043(374)

Man balanced on tall pole in front of the Potala, with crowd below. 'At the foot of the steps a crazy looking pole held together with yak-hide thongs has been erected. It is about fifty feet in height. All at once there is a hush, and a man, looking, and probably feeling, singularly like a sacrifice is swung astride a rope preparatory to being hauled up to the top. While he is only just above the heads of the crowds he starts chanting, and drinks a cup of tewa which is handed up to him. On the summit of the pole is a small platform, on which there is just room to stand, and a vertical rod of iron. To begin with the man, chanting all the time, stands for a moment on the platform; but a strong wind makes this precarious and he is obviously not too confident. Then, tying a bobbin-shaped piece of wood onto his stomach, he fits this over the top of the metal rod and starts to spin round and round. After he has repeated this several times he is allowed to return to terra firma where he bows three times and offers thanks that his ordeal is safely over.' (Lhasa Mission Diary, 13 February 1937). The photograph has been printed in reverse: compare with the copy, correctly oriented, reproduced in Hugh Richardson, 'Ceremonies of the Lhasa Year' (London, 1993), p. 19, there captioned 'Crowd at the foot of the Potala watching the 'sky-dancing rope game' during the King's New Year'.

[Gelatin silver print, 107x153mm].

Subjects = acrobats; religious ceremonies

Location = Lhasa; Tibet