IDNO

P.96951.WIL

Description

Full-length portrait of the Nepalese Agent, Major Gambir Shamsher Thapa Chettri, and his entourage of three officers and nine soldiers while calling at Dekyi-Lingka. Chettris is wearing the traditional ofical attire of daura-suruwal (Nepalese dress of long shirt, tight trousers, and a cap) and a coat made in gold cloth. His turban is adorned with a central gold badge and topped with a large white aigrette. The three officers at the front wear varying unifroms, with the man to Chettris’ left also has a white aigrette adorning his turban. The soliders of his entourage wear bright blue uniforms and turbans with badges; and a man not in uniform at the rear holds a canopied State umbrella over Chettris. The group stands in front of the kitchen of the Dekyi-Lingka residency. [JD 14/5/2008]

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“(58-135 where taken in Lhasa.)
59a. “Major Gambir Shamsher Thapa Chettri, the Nepalese Agent, calling at Dekyi-lingka 19.8.33”.” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

Place

C Asia; Tibet; Lhasa; Dekyi Lingka

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Major Gambir Shamsher Thapa Chettri (Nepalese Agent)

Photographer

Williamson, Frederick

Collector / Expedition

Date

19 August 1933

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Related Image: On Cech’s list describing prints:
“(58-135 where taken in Lhasa.)
59b. Nepalese Agent and escort at Dekyi-lingka”
The Nepalese agent wears on official uniform of gold cloth and a turban of the same material with a large white aigrette springing from a golden ornament. Over his head is an enormous canopied State umbrella. Three officers accompany him and the soldiers wear bright blue uniform.
In 1885, the Gurkhas from Nepal invaded Tibet for the second time and, by the resulting treaty, were allowed to establish an agency in Lhasa and to have extra-territorial rights and free trading facilities. In the 1930’s, there were 600-700 Nepalese in Lhasa, mainly Buddhist Newar.” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

Place: Dekyilingka - “The house in Lhasa lent to the British Mission by Kundeling monastery served as the headquarters of the 1936 British Mission to Lhasa. Dekyilingka translates as the 'Happy Garden'.” [Source: The Tebit Album, http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/glossary.php#Shol, JD 14/5/2008]

Transcription: The transcription of this album by Mark Turin and Sara Shneiderman was carried out with reference to Krystina Cech’s catalogue list alone. Alex Nadin has since revised their cataloguing by systematically matching their records to the images. Margaret Williamson’s handwritten captions for photographs have now been transcribed into the Inscription field, and Cech’s descriptions appear in the Description field. Correct entries for Place, Named Person and Other Nos. have also been entered by Alex Nadin. [Sudeshna Guha 29/10/2002]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Jocelyne Dudding 14/5/2008]