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The Sunderbans
The Sunderbans spread out in the bay of Bengal between India and Bangladesh. Part of the islands are protected mangroves and the land of roaming tigers. The others are inhabited by people. Initially farmers from Bihar state were located here by the British to work and protect the land from ‘dangers lying in the sea’.
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Once the kingdom of Tripura, now a forgotten state in India
Tripura was a thriving kingdom with many ethnic tribes for a long stretch of time ; after India’s independence it got sandwiched in the far-east between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Recently I found myself on a long busride in northwest India and got into a conversation with a man who seemd very learned. I told him of my journeys through India, from the downtrodden to the very remote and I said I was In the state of Tripura for a while upon which he exclaimed: ‘there is no such a state in india!’ But I insisted, I still do. Let my pictures -who came back from Tripura with me- be my testimony.
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Ayuthaya
Ayuthaya was the former capital of Thailand, then the kingdom of Siam. It was named after the city of Ayodhya in India, the birthplace of Rama according to the Ramayana. but no Hindu culture here: apart from the ruined city it’s mainly buddhist stupa’s and statues and relics that rule the surroundings.
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Shigatse
Shigatse is home to the Tashilhunpo monastery, founded by the first Dalai Lama and ever since home to the panchen lamas of the gelukpa order or yellow hats.
The centuries old lifestyle still seems pretty much preserved (at first sight) despite the Chinese rule ; a joy to wander around and mingle a bit with the ever cheerful monks.
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