The Chinese invasion of Tibet happened in 1959. Tibetans ran away from their own houses, some ran barefoot and some without any posessions. Many years in exile passed wherein people yearned for their people and their land. One man, who was barely 18 years old in 1959, along with his wife decided to keep the memories of home alive through dolls and handicrafts. And that’s how the Losel Doll Museum came into existence.
The first doll project started in 1983 in a remote part of Southern India in Karnataka. Their primary objective was to introduce younger Tibetans in exile to the world of Tibetan crafts and traditional dresses. After working on this project for about a year in Karnataka, the doll making monks moved to Dharmshala at Norbulingka Institute and started this project afresh.
The Losel Museum is located near the entrance of the monastery and one can see the board for instructions.
Inside the museum you can see dolls depicting traditional dresses, cultural dances, meditating monks and high priests of ancient Tibet. Dolls are decorated with ornaments and silk embroidered clothes.
Navigation in Tibet. Tibet, a land of countless streams and rivers had its own micromanaged navigation system wherein people visited each other using wooden boats.
Monks and people celeberating outside Lhasa Palace, the temple of Dalai Lama. Dance and music has remained an integral part of the Tibetan culture since times immemorial. And the same is reflected whenever you visit a Tibetan exile colony in India be it Dharmshala, Sikkim or Delhi.
Another doll group depicting a traditional danceform of ancient Tibet. Notice the masked dancemen. Isn’t that intriguing?
A traditional Tibetan family. Tibetans could be divided into various groups like royalty, clergies, farmers, transhumant tribes. This particular doll is of a roaming Tibetan family that traveled from the mountains of Tibet to far-off plains with their livestock.
It was indeed a great visual experience for me to visit the Losel Doll Museum. I hope you too enjoyed this journey with me.
