Expedition Overview
Rajshahi, on the bank of the Padma River in north-western Bangladesh, is a centre of sericulture and silk weaving for over 500 years, and the nearest city to Paharpur — the largest Buddhist monastery south of the Himalayas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the 8th century. The city has a quiet, provincial elegance unusual in Bangladesh: wide avenues, mango orchards, and silk showrooms where master weavers produce fabric of extraordinary intricacy.
This two-day expedition combines fine art and documentary photography. At Paharpur we photograph the extraordinary terracotta plaques that cover the monastery walls — thousands of individual carved narratives in worn red clay — with an approach that treats them as fine art objects rather than tourist subjects. In the city and its silk industry, we work with the weavers and traders who have kept this tradition alive.
Expedition Itinerary
Day 1: Paharpur & Terracotta Photography
Full day at Paharpur. The monastery ruins cover 11 hectares of excavated brick architecture covered in thousands of individual terracotta plaques depicting stories of the Buddha. We photograph these with controlled, raking light that reveals their three-dimensional quality — an exercise in fine-art still-life and heritage documentation.
The Goal of the Day: Fine-art still-life photography of textured cultural objects; working with raking light to reveal relief detail.
Day 2: Silk Workshops & Padma at Sunset
Morning in the silk workshops — the rhythmic clatter of shuttle looms, the precision of weavers' hands, the finished cloth in colours that hold their own light. Afternoon on the Padma River, which at Rajshahi offers vast, flat, extraordinary sky.
The Goal of the Day: Artisan portraiture; vast landscape and big-sky photography.
Book Your Expedition
Note: Final price may vary based on specific expedition details and customizations.
Expedition Leaders
Professor Nasrul Eam is a seasoned explorer and visual storyteller who has spent over two decades traversing Asia’s diverse landscapes and cultures. As Dean of the Department of Art and Photography at Light & Composition University, he leads immersive photography expeditions to regions like the Himalayas, Sundarbans, and Bali. These journeys blend cultural exploration with hands-on learning, culminating in a complete photography diploma. With a portfolio of over 50 publications—including The Quintessence of Photography and Illuminating Nature—his work captures the profound beauty of everyday life. His background in advertising, linguistics, and visual arts enriches his mentorship, guiding participants to uncover compelling narratives through their lenses. Professor Eam’s expeditions are transformative experiences, inspiring photographers to engage deeply with the world around them.
Travel Information
Rajshahi has direct flights from Dhaka (45 min) and a 6-hour express train. The city is a 2-hour drive from Paharpur. Best season October–March.
What to Bring
• 50mm macro lens for terracotta detail photography
• Wide-angle for monastery landscape
• Sturdy tripod (stone floors, low light in workshops)
• Dust brush for lens (archaeological sites are dusty)
