At a time when Kashmir is the focus of attention, Benoy K Behl’s film “The Monasteries of Rinchen Zangpo” will show the syncretic culture of its people, who had created extraordinary Buddhist paintings in monasteries in Tibet, Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. The film will be screened at Gulmohar Hall of India Habitat Centre on 21st April.
Rinchen Zangpo (958- 1055), known as Lohtsawa, ‘The Great Translator’, presided over the construction of many monasteries, which became exquisite jewels of Buddhism. King Yeshe Od, who patronised the making of these monasteries, invited artists from Kashmir to use their brush strokes in making paintings inside them. These artists brought with them a highly sophisticated form of art, which was deeply rooted in the classic Sanskrit texts of India.
Shedding light into his film, which was made specifically for Doordarshan, Behl says he selected this film for screening because Kashmir is in the news for all the wrong reasons.
“I wanted Delhiites to appreciate the Kashmiris love for art and culture since time immemorial. All the monasteries and the temples featured in this film were painted and sculpted by Kashmiri artists. From philosophical and artistic perspective, these works are remarkable,” he says.
Bitter truth that propelled him to make this film was that paintings in the Valley were destroyed long time ago. “However, the art remained alive there. Since, the local artists were so gifted in their work, they were invited to Buddhist monasteries across Ladakh and Lahaul Spiti and Western Tibet,” he says. It was this work which he wanted to capture in his film.
Historical importance
On significance of these paintings and sculptures inside monasteries, Benoy said: “These monasteries and the art laid the foundations of the later traditions of Buddhism in the trans-Himalayas. This is exquisite art, which I am sure people in Delhi will enjoy seeing.”
Often, Behl has had to go by horseback or climb uphill for long distances, where no roads exist, to cover these monasteries and temples.
In monasteries, such as Range-rig-rste, in Kinnaur, he says he is the only person who has taken shots of the art inside.
“It was an arduous journey to document these monasteries but worth the effort,” he sums up.