'Oasis of Silence':

Theravada Buddhism through the lenses

With several photographic events in February and March, the Swiss photographer Beat Presser explores 'Theravada Buddhism' in its essence. The Embassy of Switzerland, in cooperation with the German Cultural Centre, has invited the renowned Swiss photographer to Sri Lanka, in an attempt to create bridges across cultures.

During the past five years, Beat Presser has travelled extensively in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. He has visited many Buddhist monasteries and lived with the monks, at times for months at a stretch. His photographic portraits and views express his affinity to Buddhism, in a highly artistic manner.

At the Goethe Hall, the photographer himself will introduce his project on 22nd February with a multimedia presentation. On the occasion of the exhibition the English version of the "Oasis of Silence" art book will be launched, which includes a Singhalese translation. The exhibition will be open to the general public.

During his stay in Sri Lanka, Beat Presser will conduct a photography workshop for Sri Lankan photographers, with the collaboration of the photographic associations in the country. Some 20 professional photographers will explore their own "Oasis of Silence" through photography, and will have to opportunity to exhibit a selection of their work from 15th March at the German Cultural Centre.

Many partners and sponsors, in particular Holcim Lanka, the Mount Lavinia Hotel and Kodak, support these events in a generous manner. Media partners are MTV and YesFM, together with the Lake House publications Sunday Observer, Daily News, Dinamina, Silumina and Budusarana.

The photographic art book "Oasis of Silence", published by Benteli Publishers in cooperation with Cross Culture, will be available in bookshops from 26 February 2007. The photographer and author, Beat Presser, will sign his book at the opening of the exhibition, on 24th February at the Barefoot Gallery, from 6 p.m. onwards.

The followings are excerpts from beat Presser's - a Photographic Journey in Search of Buddhism

At the dawn of the first day in the new millennium, I am standing on the shores of the Indian Ocean at Mahabalipuram, and I am asking myself: "Where do I go from here? Should I stay in India, return to Europe, or move on to the Far East?" Though overwhelmed by the colourful impressions of Indian mysticism, religion, temples, statues of Shiva and Ganesh, of holy cows, ragas, stone sculptures, Ramayana, gurus and many more facets, my mind wanders back to my deep desire to learn more about Buddhism. I remember my earlier, extended trips to Asia, and an old promise I have to keep.

On that day, I finally decided to venture east, to Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, then further to Cambodia. Now, four years later, I finally land in Sri Lanka, the teardrop island in the Indian Ocean. Plagued by many years of civil war, the country now seems to have found its peace again. Elections are coming up. A certain tension is in the air, but the people and their politicians are keen not to fall back into savagery. They are ready to overcome deep rifts, which split the country for too many years, and to tackle what lies ahead.

At least, this is the way Sri Lanka presents itself to me, while I board a bus early one morning, in the direction of Mihintale, an important northern Buddhist town. This holy spot is Buddhism's first footprint in Sri Lanka, going back to 247 BC, and henceforth spreading across most of the island. I climb those many stairs, climb higher and higher, until finally, high up, I reach the dagoba at the peak. A monk is asking for a small contribution, another one sweeps the sacred grounds, a third one is lost in meditation.

A healing and a vow

It is well over four years now, that I began my photographic research on Theravada Buddhism. The decision, however, was taken much earlier - more than three decades ago. In the early 1970s, I had badly injured my spine in a traffic accident in Thailand. I could neither walk nor stand. This was when, after some thorough examination at a rural hospital, I was admitted to a nearby Buddhist monastery. After five days of excruciating immobility, the abbot - a healer with a nationwide renown - took me under his wing. Several times a day I received massages, along with drugs unknown to western schools of medicine, both accompanied by mysterious chants and unfamiliar smells.I shared his cell and was thus allowed an insight into the life of Buddhist monks. Three weeks later, I was discharged with a clean bill of health: I was walking again, and all the pain had left me - forever. This was the moment when I took the decision - should I ever become the photographer I intended to be - to return to Southeast Asia and express my gratitude with a photographic story on Buddhism.

While I am sitting up there, beneath the dagoba, and marvel at the vast landscape, I hear voices. They belong to monks from Burma's south, descendants of an ancient culture that has ruled a region encompassing Cambodia and Burma. We start conversing. The monks are students from Rangoon, on a pilgrimage through Sri Lanka and India. Buddhist monks like to travel, which means we have a lot in common. There are devout and wealthy Buddhists who support them to go on pilgrimage, while the monasteries in the visited countries take care of lodging and board.

This system, a perfect network, makes road trips and pilgrimages possible for countless monks to the many holy sites all over Southeast Asia. At nightfall we sit directly under the holy Maha Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura. This place is customarily reserved for monks and high dignitaries, and I am lucky to enjoy a rare privilege, while hundreds of pilgrims pay reverence to Lord Buddha at a distance. A branch from the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya, in whose shade Lord Buddha found enlightenment 2600 years ago, was planted on this spot a few years later.

Most beautiful in the world

It has survived to this present day in its entire splendour, and all Bodhi trees in Sri Lanka are said to be its descendants.

Each day on this island - which Marco Polo described as the most beautiful in the world - brings something new and unexpected. One day my sri Lankan friend takes me to a hermitage, a monastery in Dimbulagala at the foot of a mountain, above a lake. A monk walks toward me, asks me why I came here, and tells me to wait for a moment. A little later I face the High Priest - this is how the abbot is called here -, an imposing, greatly respected 70-year-old, and I explain my plans to him. After a short discussion he dismisses me, with his permission to photographically capture the monks' daily routines - routines, which are very strict, for monks and novices alike.

After several days of remarkable, sometimes even amusing encounters and experiences in the monastery, I come before the High Priest to express my gratitude and say good-bye.

Over cups of tea we talk about this and that, and he reveals bits and pieces of the past and the future of his monastery, here in the jungle. All of a sudden, he interrupts his excursion, looks straight into my eyes and says: "400 years ago, when Dimbulagala experienced a peak, we had a Buddhist university with thousands of students. You were one of them, and this is the reason for your return.

"Oasis of Silence" Programme schedule

22 February at 6 p.m. Multimedia presentation at Goethe Hall, German Cultural Centre, 39, Gregory's Road, Colombo 7.

24 February to 11 March 2007

"Oasis of Silence" photographic exhibition by Beat Presser, at the Barefoot Gallery, 704, Galle Road, Colombo 3.

26 February to 10 March 2007

Photography workshop with Beat Presser, at the Mount Lavinia Hotel (participation restricted)

15 to 28 March 2007

Exhibition of selected Workshop results, at the Goethe Hall, German Cultural Centre, 39, Gregory's Road, Colombo 7.