Mss Eur F157/324(23)

Genre: Portrait Photography

Full-length portrait of Guru Rimpoche, seated in front of a backdrop of woven and embroidered hangings. 'We waited in Tawang a few days longer than we originally intended in order that we might meet Guru Rimpoche, a very holy incarnation and a personal friend of the Dalai Lama. He is the head of the Hlagyari family, the old royal family of Tibet, and consequently a man of very great influence. He is one of five brothers, the eldest, named Triba Kusho (Lay Prime Minister), died a couple of years ago, the second, Hlagyari Se Kusho, was killed fighting the Chinese three months before the death of his elder brother, the Guru is the third son and the eldest living member of his family. He was daily expected from Lhasa, and everyone was most anxious that we should stay to meet him.' The British party eventually met Guru Rimpoche at the village of Hlau: 'The following day we rode over to Hlau, where we were most cordially received and entertained. The Guru is a man of 32 years of age, very active in his habits, very keen and intelligent, alert and full of enthusiasm. He is the incarnation of that part of the cotry and has lived a good portion of his life in Tawang. He told us that he had lived for the past two years in Lhasa. He had just come from the Dalai Lama, who had appointed him in the Tawang district to look after all matters connected with the frontier.' Although Guru Rimpoche was anxious to discuss the frontier with Nevill, the latter's orders specifically precluded this and he carefully avoided the subject.