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Visitors 27
29 photos

This joint exhibit of Sara Levinson and Anand Khokha's images are being displayed at the Farmers gallery of the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. The exhibit opens on September 12, 2019 and will be open till December 1.
The primary focus of the images from Burma are (a) Leg Rowers fishermen from Lake Inle, (b) Buddhism in Burma and (c) miscellaneous images of village life.

Leg Rower Intha Fisherman on Lake Inle

The Inle Lake is located in the Shan district in the center of Burma and is surrounded by beautiful green hills. Intha's are the local people whose lives are centered on this lake--even their name means " sons of the lake". They fish and grow vegetables and flowers on the lake in floating beds of water hyacinth and grasses.

Intha fishermen are the only people in the world who propel their fishing boats by "leg rowing".Their unique "leg rowing" style involves standing at the stern on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar, and with a circular motion, they propel the boat forward. This "leg rowing" technique gives them a better view of the waterways and makes it easier to locate fish and to navigate around the floating islands. These fishermen also use a conical fishing trap which has a ring holding the net. On spotting the fish, these conical nets are thrust into the lake which helps them catch carp, catfish and eel.

Buddhism in Burma

Burma (Mynamar) is predominantly a Buddhist country with about 90% of its people practicing Thiravada tradition of Buddhism. It is also the most religious Buddhist country in the world when measured in terms of proportion of monks in the population and based on the ratio of income spent on religious activities.

Buddhism has been practiced in Burma for over 2000 years.Thousands of temples and pagodas which are devoted to Buddhism are scattered throughout the country. Bagan, once the center of Buddhism alone has over 2000 temples. The holiest of these shrines is the huge complex of Shwedagon temple in the middle of its capital-- Yangon (Rangoon).

It is very common to see clusters of maroon clad Buddhist monks in the country side and in the hundreds of monasteries that exist throughout the country. Many poor Burmese parents send one or more of their sons, as young as seven years of age, to get free education at these schools and to be tutored in rigorous monastic life style. Only very few of them choose to become life long monks--a decision they dont have to make till they are 18 years of age.

Leg Rowing Intha Fishermen in Sync.

Sharing a smoke

Leg rowers at Blue Hour

In Golden Light

Misty Morning

Taking a break

Looking for fish

Standing tall in the evening Light

Fishing at Sunset

Gathering flora to build floating gardens

End of the day--Coming Home

Sunset at Ubon Bridge

Reflections around Ubon Bridge

Lighting candles before prayers

Playful Buddhist Novice at Mingun Temple

Offering Prayers in a cave temple

Buddhist Nun

Young Nuns at Nunnery

Devotion of the Tayar village women

Father and son at prayers