IDNO

DG.144869.SHP

Description

"Looking across the Lingmatan Plain to Donker [Donggar] Gompa. 12 August '38."

Place

S Asia; Tibet; Chumbi Vallery; Donggar; Lingmatan Plain [Donker]

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Shepheard, Ken

Collector / Expedition

Date

12 August 1938

Collection Name

Shepheard Collection

Source

Shepheard Rogers, Patricia

Format

Album Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Related Archive: Noted in Shepheard's diary 'Some Notes of Ken Shepheard on his expedition to Lhasa, Tibet, in September - October 1938' pp.13,
"12 August 1938 Left Yatung 0830 hrs.
Bachan Gomba
Called on Yatung Monastery (Sikkim Lamas) and saw all their treasures and given English tea and dried grapes. Very friendly and much amused at themselves and us.
6 lamas only and they formed orchestra -- drums and cymbals, 2 short horns, 2 long horns -- and gave us selections. No objection to themselves or the monastery being photographed.
Donker
Gould and H.H. and transport went on ahead.
On up the Chumbi valley to a larger monastery standing high up on R. bank of river at Lingmatan.
Much richer monastery and some lovely treasures. Many large gilded idols, thankas etc and wonderful painted walls -- including the whole of life with horrid hell and all its tortures -- slow death by insects, R. and B. by red hot pokers, sickness etc. and heavenly heaven with its houris. Also several large pictures of alternative position of R. including one by skeletons (N.B. face to face with one leg over one under!).
On up the Chumbi through lovely scenery to Gontsa just before the rains came 1600 hrs.
Played rummy with Gould and H.H. and so to bed.
Road. Ruling grade of about 1/15 on present alignment could be made O.K. for M.T.
Khud sides steep and best to keep near the river, i.e. on present alignment approx.
The zig-zagging mentioned in route draft is misleading. At mile 11 the track leaves the river about 200x - 300x on the left hand and climbs on cobbled causeway but remains approx. parallel with the river and rejoins it before Gontsa. “Zig-Zags” only conform to twists and turns in the river.
Camping Grounds Several places to take 1 Bn each and in dry weather 2 Bdes on Lingmatang plain, Guptsai Byak, Choten Karp, Galingkha.
Fuel Gontsa about top limit of tree line but bushes above.
Fuel plentiful up to Gontsa.
Grazing Plentiful in August
Supplies Some crops and vegetables in most villages." [JD 26/01/2020]