Kathmandu

Playing with light and time, photography is all about capturing the moments artistically — it opens doors to the past. Veteran photographer Mani Lama’s 30 black-and-white photographs displayed at Yala Mandala serve exactly this purpose.

Titled ‘Images of the City’, the photos, some from late 70’s, are displayed at Yala Mandala’s two-storey cafe. And Lama has captured the vivid colours of Kathmandu Valley in his black-and-white images that allow the viewers to experience the festivals and celebration, daily life of people, culture and tradition, traditional craft, monuments, among others through his eyes and lens.

A throng fills up almost every space in Boudha as they wait for the Ropain Jatra to start — it is held the day

after Gai Jatra.

Nepali jhankris and shamans from the USA donning jhankri attire channel a parade during the August full moon festival.

Surrounded by many pouches of plastic full of grains to feed pigeons, a grain seller waits for customers for the grain that she sells.

A woman washes up early in the winter morning in front of the Nyatapola Temple in misty Bhaktapur.

Two women stand at the entrance to a house along an alley in Bhaktapur some 35 years ago.

Four elderly men are engrossed in a conversation enjoying their leisure time.

A few children on the verandah of a temple are all smiles. On the other hand, four children are working and making yarns in a factory.

The Gandharbas play the sarangi and sing to please their listeners. A group of men entertain themselves by playing flutes and maadal during some night.

A stone carver of Patan carves a Buddha’s face meticulously. Family potters are at work in Bhaktapur.

Wherever Lama goes he says, “Whatever catches my eyes, I try to capture those artistically.” The exhibited images are the result of this observer in him.

The captured moments come through in the black-and-white composition. As many people are taking colour photos these days, Lama says you do not get to see much of black-and-white photos. And “the back-and-white photos are unique and take you to the old days”.

The exhibition, which was a collateral event of the recently held Kathmandu Triennale 2017, will end on July 15.