Temples: Kathmandu

Taken during March-April 1970 these photographs focus mainly on the remarkable Buddhist stupa at Bouddhanath. It is seen as it was located then, in the middle of fields surrounded by a single ring of houses, a huge contrast with its situation today. It was and still is a focal centre for Tibetan Buddhists who have revered Bouddhanath for over a thousand years. Also seen are images of the broad breadth of things which occur in temple precincts, including monks seeking alms , laypeople making offerings and performing circumambulation and other day to day activities. At Chovar the affixing to the temple of household utensils is said to guarantee household harmony. Also seen are a selection of the erotic art on the roof struts of certain temples said to protect the temple from lightning strikes (the goddess of lightning being virginal would not approach such a temple with erotic displays) but they also possessing a more occult tantric meaning. In the town of Bhaktapur there is an image of the massive and extremely sacred Bhairav temple with the cart wheels and beams used in the Macchendranath festival lying next to it.Original format: col.; 5 x 5 cm

本批拍摄于1970年3月至4月的影像资料，主要聚焦于颇具盛名的博德纳（Bouddhanath）佛塔（stupa）。该佛塔彼时坐落于田野中央，外围仅以一圈民居环绕，与今日的周边环境形成巨大反差。千余年来，博德纳始终是藏传佛教信众的核心朝圣中心，这一属性古今未变。影像中还涵盖了寺院区域内的多样场景：包括托钵化缘的僧侣、敬献供品与绕行转经的世俗信众，以及其他日常活动。在乔瓦尔（Chovar）地区，当地相传将家用器具供奉于寺院之上，可庇佑家庭和睦。部分寺院的屋顶横梁上饰有情色艺术纹饰，其设计初衷据称为抵御雷击——因雷电女神为处子之身，不会踏足带有此类纹饰的寺院；同时这类纹饰亦蕴含隐秘的密宗（tantric）内涵。在巴克塔普尔（Bhaktapur）镇，可见体量宏伟、极为神圣的巴伊拉布（Bhairav）神庙，其旁摆放着麦千德拉纳特（Macchendranath）节庆所用的大车车轮与横梁。原始格式：彩色胶片，5×5厘米。