IDNO

P.97986.WIL

Description

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“(Photos 136-206 were taken in and around Gangtok).
138. “Worship of the Snows ceremony at Gangtok 28.8.31”
See gi: Gangtok
The Worship of the Snows Ceremony (Gangs Iha-bsol) is a festival the aim of which is to worship the spirit of Kanchenjunga (Kang-chen mdzod-rnga), namely. rNam-sras mdung-dmar. He is represented as being red in colour and is armed and mounted on a white mountain lion. He is the tutelary spirit of Sikkim (see Stein: 143).
138c. These monks are performing the religious ritual which accompanies the dance. They are wearing pan-zhwa hats of the rNying-ma school of Buddhism and playing pole drums (lag-rnga) and large cynbals [cymbals] (rol-mo).” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

Place

S Asia; India; Sikkim; Gangtok

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Williamson, Frederick

Collector / Expedition

Date

28 August 1931

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Album Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

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]