Photographer Gains Surprise Access to Dalai Lama

Photographer and IT advisor Riccardo Maria Mantero from Italy was fortunate enough to experience a special moment with the Dalai Lama.

Riccardo and a group of fellow photographers were on a trip in Leh, Ladakh, to take some shots of the monasteries and monks in the Valley of Indo.

However, the group stroke lucky when their guide somehow got them tickets to see the Dalai Lama.

The photographer said: "Our main goal was to take some shots of the monasteries in the Indus Valley and of the monks who are living there. After a few days our guide told us that His Holiness the Dalai Lama was in Ladakh to hold a series of seminaries across the main monasteries of the region, and with a true lucky strike he managed to get some passes for us."

The event in August 2016 took place in the monastery of Thiksey - one of the biggest and most famous of the valley.

Riccardo explained: “We arrived there in the early morning, together with the forst Buddhist worshippers. The place was still empty and strongly controlled by the Indian Army.

"The place reserved for foreigners was on a side of the main stage, but again, thanks to our guide we'd been allowed to roam around with the our equipment like a accredited press.

"Progressively the large area in front of the stage filled with an enormous crowd of local people. Two lateral wings were reserved for monks in their red traditional red clothes. Behind them was a large group of women all dressed in rich traditional dresses, all embroidered in gold and silver.

"When His Holiness took seat on his throne the place became totally silent. We stopped shooting, so to not disturb the mystical athmosphere with the noise of our camera. He started with a benediction to all.

"After such moment of pure solemnity the mood became more relaxed and, in respect of the praying people, we started our duty, reporting."

The Dalai Lama kept the stage for an incredible six hours of non stop teaching, talking in several languages and interacting with almost every category of people who were there - locals, foreigners, children, adults, army and monks.

Riccardo said: “Some were praying, some were worshipping, some were listening but all with the maximum respect and attention.

"The most fantastic moments that I photographed were; when the sun broke across the overcast weather of the morning - the sun light at 3600 meters is much stronger and less filtered than on the sea level, so the people started to open a lot of silk umbrellas.

"Or when the "tea pause" was called and the monk novices rushed to their masters bringing buckets of tea, or again when the women started to offer tea to everyone who was asking for it.

“It really was an incredible athmosphere of happiness, holiness and positive life. In one word - magic."

Just before the end of the ceremony, Riccardo started to climb the infinite series of stairs to the top of the monastry to take some shots of the shrine, which resulted in some beautiful aerial views of the moltitude of people who were standing under the Thiksay monastry that day.

He said: "Once more, like several times in my photograper experience, the "luck" factor played a big part in the game allowing me to document something special in another far place of this small world.

“It isn’t easy nor usual to assist the way I did to a similar event, and I was really lucky to be there.”