The Shambhala Archives’ Photographic Holdings

The Shambhala Archives has a growing collection of over 25,000 photographs. Photographs in this collection include photographic documentation of various activities of the founder of Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation, Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, and members of his family; of the Vajra Regent Ösel Tendzin, who acted as the spiritual successor of Trungpa Rinpoche from 1976 to 1990, and members of his family; of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, current president of Shambhala; numerous events sponsored by and participated in by Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation; of visits to North America by His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism; of activities of a number of important Tibetan Buddhist teachers, as well as teachers of Zen and other traditions; of the major residential practice and educational centers established by Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation; of exhibitions and demonstrations sponsored by Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation on the visual arts; and of the work of specific photographers.ChögyamTrungpa, Rinpoche with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Our photographic images include black and white prints, negatives, and contact sheets; color prints, negatives, and contact sheets; transparencies;and one reel of microfilm.

In 1994 the Shambhala Archives began to rehouse its collection of slides,prints, and negatives in archival enclosures. It is important to the longterm care of photographic material that it be kept in a stable environment,and not be in contact with substances -- such as PVC releasing plastics and acidic papers -- that can damage its structure. Accordingly, our collection is held at a constant temperature and humidity, and away from harmful light.In 1997 we completed the removal of acidic and other deleterious housingmaterials from our collection.
 

The Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation Information Office Photographic Fonds

Most of the photographic holdings in the Shambhala Archives were were transferredto the Archives in 1988. Many of them are described in the Vajradhatu andNalanda Foundation Information Office Photographic Fonds Finding Aid. Thearrangment and decription of this material was made possible through agrant from the Canadian Council of Archives. Fonds level descriptions are available.

Vajradhatu, an international organization of Buddhist meditation and study centers, and Nalanda Foundation, an educational foundation, were founded in 1973 and 1975, respectively, by the Ven. Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. The Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation Information office was established on August 15, 1975. The mandate of the Information Office encompassed advertising, publicity, and public relations. In the area of advertising, the Office produced and reviewed the content of all advertisements, flyers, posters, mailings, and brochures of all divisions of Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation. In support of its activities, the Office maintained photographic files of all major activities of Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation.

In 1978 Vajradhatu founded the Vajradhatu Sun (now the Shambhala Sun) a bi-monthly publication of Buddhist news, and placed its management under the Information Office. In the course of its production, the Sun made extensive use of these photographic files. During 1985 and 1986, the international headquarters of Vajradhatu and Nalanda Foundation were relocated from Boulder, Colorado to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The photographic files of the Information Office, however, remained in Boulder but were transferred to the custody of the Vajradhatu Sun, where they remained until early in 1988. At that time, the Information Office was closed and the photographic files were transferred to the custody of the Archives.
Facilities Holdings Video Holdings
Audio Holdings Other Holdings Home