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The pictorial odyssey of Sundar Photo Studio

16 May 2008

shankar.JPGThe hustle and bustle of Phuentsholing has become part and parcel of his life. He has observed the melting border town change into new dimensions and photographed people from all backgrounds. Known for his joviality, he is famously called, “Shankar Baba.”

Shankar came from Assam 38-years ago in search of a job. “There was acute unemployment in my country and I was advised by my uncle to go to Bhutan. I decided to go to Phuentsholing in search of a job and it was fortunate
that I met Harjit Singh, who taught me photography,” he said

Today, Shankar’s stories fascinate his customers. He is both entertainer and photographer. Jokes, smiles and laughter accompany his sessions. “I always see him smiling and cracking jokes with his customers.” said Harka, a retailer.
He is probably the oldest photographer in Phuentsholing. He has a unique way of dealing with his customers. He smiles at onlookers and hardly anyone walks away without greeting him. He is famously known for his patience and perseverance.
Those days, people came all the way from Thimphu to take passport-sized photographs and to print their pictures. “I remember an incident where I took the Chukha dzongda’s picture. I still remember the way he patted on my shoulder. It was an honour bestowed upon me as the best photographer” he said.

Some people think that he entertains them in order to promote sales, but others say that the jokes and laughter are a way of Shankar’s life. “I take pride and delight in the way I interact with people,” he said.

He named his studio, “Sundar Photo,” with the motto that he would “make them look good.” He knows a bit of Bhutan’s history too. He started his service during the reign of the third Druk Gyalpo, continued his service during the reign of the fourth Druk Gyalpo, and continues the tradition to this day. “I witnessed the coronation of the fourth Druk Gyalpo and I will firmly take part in the coronation of our present Druk Gyalpo,” he said.

Shankar’s photo studio, located in the heart of Phuentsholing town, also embodies the development and changes that have taken place. He started the business using a black and white enlarger; now the studio owns digital cameras and colour labs. The refinement of Sundar Photo Studio is also a sign of the commercial progress Phuentsholing
has made.

“It is much easier and quicker to use digital colour labs rather than a black and white enlarger, which requires manual labour,” he said. Like the development of electronics and gadgets, he has observed, the changing landscape. The old serenity of Phuntsholing town has been replaced by the pace of modernity, he said.

By Sangay Wangchuk

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