#bhutan
A Little Light that shines through sometimes is enough to give you enough courage to move the mountains ! The mighty Annapurna Range :) #storiesofhimalayas
#travel #travelbag #wanderlust
#bagpacker #natgeo #natgeotravel #natgeolandscape #landscape #vscocam #destination #himalayas #nature #bliss #travelxp #experience #hiking #treking #mountains #thrill #adventure #story
#india #nepal #bhutan #tibet #himalayanescapader #himalayangeographic #delightingyoualways #everest (at Nagarkot Choke)
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Some addictions are good !! #storiesofhimalayas
#travel #travelbag #wanderlust
#bagpacker #natgeo #natgeotravel #highonhimalayas #landscape #vscocam #destination #himalayas #nature #bliss #travelxp #experience #hiking #treking #mountains #thrill #adventure #story
#india #nepal #bhutan #tibet #himalayanescapader #himalayangeographic #delightingyoualways #everest (at Bagmati Zone)
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Sunrise looks spectacular in the nature; sunrise looks spectacular in the photos; sunrise looks spectacular in our dreams; sunrise looks spectacular in the paintings, because it really is spectacular! #storiesofhimalayas
#travel #travelbag #wanderlust
#bagpacker #natgeo #natgeotravel #natgeolandscape #landscape #vscocam #destination #himalayas #nature #bliss #travelxp #experience #hiking #treking #mountains #thrill #adventure #story
#india #nepal #bhutan #tibet #himalayanescapader #himalayangeographic #delightingyoualways #everest (at Nagarkot)
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When you are trying to get me down. I go up and higher. #storiesofhimalayas
#travel #travelbag #wanderlust
#bagpacker #natgeo #natgeotravel #natgeolandscape #landscape #vscocam #destination #himalayas #nature #bliss #travelxp #experience #hiking #treking #mountains #thrill #adventure #story
#india #nepal #bhutan #tibet #himalayanescapader #himalayangeographic #delightingyoualways #everest (at Chandragiri Hills Ltd)
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His Majesty The King and His Royal Highness The Gyalsey at the 114th National Day Celebrations.
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Passang Chauwan was born in the western half of Bhutan, but at the age of eight she moved to a refugee camp in Nepal where she remained for over 20 years, “In Nepal, we sat in a small house, and had a difficult life in camp.” In the refugee camp, she went to school because only single women were allowed to attend. “If women were married, they could not go to school; they had to stay with the children.”
After 20 years of living in the refugee camp in Nepal, Passang resettled as a refugee in the Unites States with her two daughters, husband and mother-in-law. The refugee resettlement process was not easy.
“It was different from when we left Bhutan to go to Nepal. The United States government had a process for refugees, which involved a form that took two years to get approved. Each family at the camp had different problems. The form asked why we left Bhutan to go to the United States and questions like that.”
On February 12, 2012, Passang left Nepal for the United States with her two daughters. “Yeah, we were worried about leaving our friends in the camp, but we knew we had family in the United States.” The trip from Nepal to the U.S. lasted two days and Passang was only able to bring a suitcase and a couple dresses. Through sponsorship from Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island she settled into a Nepali community in South Providence.
“I am happy to reunite with my husband’s family [who came to Providence first]. I am happy I was able to come here to Providence. Some cases you don’t get any choices where you go so they did me a favor by letting me meet up with my husband’s family. We have a nice community now.”
Passang and her husband live in Providence, Rhode Island, with their twelve and seven year old daughters. “The community is nice and the neighborhood is good.” Passang jokingly said the only part of Providence she could do without is the snow. “The only difficulty is the snow. In my country (Nepal) we don’t have snow, only the mountains do.”
Passang works at Falvey Linen Supply and is also taking English classes in the morning at Dorcas International Institute. She also works “part-time at another job.” In addition to working and taking English classes, Passang takes care of her husband, her children, and her mother-in-law. Both of her daughters are full time students and have grown accustomed to American culture. Passang hopes that they will still hold on to the traditions the Nepalese have practiced for generations.
Initially Passang was nervous if her children would fit in to American culture. She hoped that they would enjoy school and make friends. “The first day of school they were crying, but after a week they were happy.” During her first days in Rhode Island, Passang felt welcomed by other Nepali refugee families who had moved here previously. The Nepali community is tightly connected and helps support one another.
“Each weekend we go to a different house and get together and discuss and ask questions to each other what is difficult for us in the United States and we try to help everyone out in our community…If somebody passed away, then maybe we get together and discuss how much money we need to raise and donate to the family. Also, we talk about citizenship in the United States. Some have no driver’s license, no car, and that’s difficult in our community.”
Passang is very happy to be in the United States and feels blessed to be out of the refugee camp. “I was born in Bhutan, grew up in Nepal, and now I am in America today. Now I have a story like this, the refugee. I have the life.”
Although Passang is happy to be in the United States, she still said, “I miss my family all in Nepal.” Her family still in Nepal includes her mother, sister, and brother. Unfortunately Passang’s mother is constantly sick and struggles with health problems and remains in a refugee camp. “My mom is always sick; she is in a Nepali refugee camp. My sister and my brother, everybody, is in the refugee camp, but they are all in the process [of coming here].”
Passang’s dream for the future is for her daughters to continue school and attend college. She helps her daughters with their school work and also provides financially for the family. “My big mission is for my two daughters. I will work long, and hard, and pay for good knowledge if they want, I will help them. That’s why I came to the United States”
Written and compiled by Alex Napoli, Matt McDermott and Briana Di Prizio
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Keanu Reeves on the set of ‘Little Buddha’ 1993
Deki Wangmo (Bhutan), Raudha Athif (Maldives), Pooja Mor (India), Jannatul Ferdoush Peya (Bangladesh), Shenelle Rodrigo (Sri Lanka), and Varsha Thapa (Nepal), photographed by Bharat Sikka for VOGUE India’s ninth anniversary issue.
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The Regulars: An Interview with Douglas MacRae
Photographer:Douglas MacRae
Studio / Company: Douglas MacRae Ltd.
Type of Photography: Travel, Motorcycle, Art
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I graduated from OCAD in ‘89 from Communication and Design. While still in college, I hooked up with HMV records and wound up painting super-realist murals in their record stores around the world based on my photo shoots. This evolved into advertising photography and super realist illustration work including some award winning billboard campaigns for President’s Choice and editorial work in Esquire magazine etc.
I went through a brief oil painting phase, painting two 20 ft. wide Pre-Raphaelite style oil paintings for the Liberty Grand building in Toronto and a series of six murals in London, England.
I moved much more into pure photography after this, shooting on five trips to India, twice to Nepal, twice to Bhutan, Tibet, Myanmar, Cambodia, Italy, Tunisia, Morocco etc. There are permanent installations of my photography at the Cibo and Spice Route restaurants, both on King West for those in in Toronto.
Being a motorcycle racer myself (I am a two time AMA Grand Vintage Racing Champion and won at Daytona, Mid-Ohio and Mosport), I fell into shooting bikes as well and just recently had a feature with all my photography in the April issue of Cycle World magazine. I still race and will be out there this summer despite having some bad crashes, three in 2009 including a 130 mph get off at Daytona; the worst crash was actually later that year racing in Alabama and I ended up having a new operation where they stripped ligaments off the hamstring in my leg and used it to rebuild my shoulder.
What drew you into photography?
I used to set up elaborate shoots for my painting and illustration reference, all shot on my Mamiya RZ67 format film camera. As the art waned the photography grew and I joined the digital onslaught.
What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?
Must create depth.
Tell us about a photographic challenge you overcame?
I seem to have some back luck with drivers on photo trips- in India I almost got decapitated in a car wreck coming back from shooting at the Taj Mahal when my driver drove under the back of a stopped 18 wheeler flatbed truck which came through the windshield.
I almost got lynched by an angry mob in rural Nepal when it seemed like my driver ran down an 8 year old boy who was bleeding from the head; the police saved us by ushering us into a fortified compound (turns out the police chief’s wife saw the incident and the kid fell in front of the car which did not touch him, nevertheless we drove him to hospital in Kathmandu and he was fine).
I was almost arrested by secret police in Tunisia during the Ben Ali dictatorship after trying to surreptitiously photograph one of his leather clad secret policemen.
In Italy I almost got sucked into the ocean after being dropped by boat on breakwater rocks in Cinque Terre where I waited until dark til I got the nice picture- then I had to climb back alone at night through the surf pounding on the huge rocks.
I almost slipped down a rock slope into a gorge shooting the Turquoise lake in Tibet and did fall down a rock slope shooting in Ladakh, NW India near the border with China while trying to take a picture of a Yow (half Yak half Cow)- I smashed my 70-200 lens against a rock as I half cartwheeled down the crazy steep slope- it didn’t zoom so good after that and later required a $900 repair.
What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?
My one thing is shooting with two bodies, I just couldn’t go back- I love being able to quickly pull out the short or long lens with a wide angle waiting in my bag. I also don’t go anywhere without my Kata bag and I can squeeze a crazy amount of gear in it. I like to watch the face of the person operating the x-ray machine at the airport as they sort of blink at the dense mass of lenses, flashes, Pocket Wizards and bodies jammed into my bag.
What gear do you prefer to shoot with?
I am a NIkon man and just love walking about with my D810 and my 70-200 f2.8, I love that lens and that body. I keep everything portable with six Speedlights on Pocket Wizards with a beauty dish or an octabox and a bounce.
When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember?
John Witcher always takes care of me and makes sure I don’t leave the store with something I don’t need.
Any advice to fresh photographers?
Get up early. The good light is at dawn.
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Walk from Nepal to Bhutan
Hello,
Has anyone traveled to Bhutan and Nepal ?
So There are few things I want to know. I want to walk from Kathmandu to Thimpu. It will be my last travel as well (Don’t worry, before I get my passport.)
1.If you have traveled to Nepal and Bhutan, in which month have you traveled?
2. How cold would it be and will the roads be open?
3. Can a solo backpacker travel to both countries/cross borders? and if yes, which border area, should I enter these countries?
4. Any restrictions I should know about?
5. Do you have any friends in the said places?
6. Am I missing something ? if yes, would you like to add something?
7. If you know people there , can you introduce me to them ?
Thank you. much love <3
I am super excited about it. Send wishes . ❤️
#nepal #bhutan #thimpu #kathamandu #goproindia #gopro @goproin #nepalphotoproject @nepalphotoproject @tarabedi25 @sumitdayal (at Nepal/ Tibet/Bhutan)
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Part 3 : Next month I planning to walk from #Nepal( #Kathmandu) to #Bhutan ( #Thimpu) . It’s a 800 kms walk . If anyone wants to join . They are most welcome .
What do think of term adventure ? Do you think you are adventurous ? What’s the most adventurous thing you have ever done ?
#gopro #goproindia #adventure #walk #backpack
Bhutanese refugees are finding their place in Ohio http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/akron-ohio-bhutanese-refugees_us_59ca88cfe4b0cdc773353640
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Frocky Frockasaurus had a great time on holiday with us, here she is at the Tigers Nest Monastery in Bhutan, Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal, and having great fun at the Taj Mahal in India, chasing people.
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This is the internal circle of the Wheel of Life(Bardo), which is separated into two highly contrasting sections.
In the White area, future people, gods, and demigods are portrayed while in the black section are the hell beings, animals, and the hungry ghosts who are being directed towards the lower domains.
“ Greater in battle
than the man who would conquer
a thousand-thousand men,
is he who would conquer
just one —
himself.
Better to conquer yourself
than others.
When you’ve trained yourself,
living in constant self-control,
neither a deva nor gandhabba,
nor a Mara banded with Brahmas,
could turn that triumph
back into defeat. ”
( Verse 103-105, Dhammapada - Path of Buddha’s Teaching )
CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH (SAMSARA) IN THERAVADA BUDDHISM - 01
According to Buddhist scriptures, it is believed that through meditation, the Buddha gained first hand knowledge of rebirth and the cycle of birth and death (samsara), before declaring it to the world. During the process of attaining full enlightenment through deep meditation on that night, the Buddha is said to have developed three special types of supreme knowledge, two of which revealed the knowledge of rebirth. During the first watch of the night, the Buddha developed the supreme knowledge (pubbenivasanussati nana) through which it was possible to recollect the past lives that the Buddha Himself had gone through during the cycle of birth and death including the details of where He was born, name, occupation, etc. in each previous life. During the second watch of the night, the Buddha developed the divine eye (cutupapatha nana), which revealed how from an inconceivable beginning, other beings were reborn into happy or unhappy existences dependent on their previous skilful and unskillful actions, based on the natural law of cause and effect (kamma).
The literal meaning of the word “Samsara” both in the Pali and the Sanskrit language is “wandering on” and “continuing on”. According to the Buddha, we have been wandering on in this cycle of repeated birth and death (samsara) with no evident beginning for an inconceivable length of time. Samsara is not a place or a particular plane of existence, but a process fuelled by ignorance (avijja), craving (tanha) and the volitional actions we perform (kamma) through which we continue from one existence to another. All existences in the cycle of birth and death bear three universal characteristics of existence; impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and lack of substantiality (anatta).
The cycle of birth and death (samsara) can also be described as the process of re-becoming of the five aggregates of clinging (pancha-upadankkhandha) from one existence to another. The five aggregates of clinging are the constituent parts of the Psycho-physical unit of name and matter (nama-rupa) known as an individual, a being or a personality.
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
Only the second movie submitted for Oscar consideration by the small landlocked Asian nation of Bhutan (the first was Khyentse Norbu’s “The Cup” in 1999), “Lunana” emerged as a surprise contender for Best International Feature Film when Oscar nominations were announced earlier this week. Itself a story of underdog triumph more astounding than anything “Lunana” puts forth in its tranquil 110 minutes, this awards recognition shines a welcome spotlight on both Bhutan and its philosophy of “gross national happiness,” which informs the film’s narrative.
