Seven Years In Tibet

The Dalai Lama provided Harrer with a film camera and requested that Harrer begin filming celebrations and festivals for him. Harrer gladly obliged. He was also asked to film the repainting of all the buildings in Lhasa. This was the beginning of Harrer’s direct relationship with the Dalai Lama. In filming the Potala Palace, Harrer had the rare opportunity to see places that most ordinary people were never privileged to see. Harrer was able to take photos of the Tsug Lag Khang temple, which contained within it a single bell left over from Catholic influence long ago.

Harrer was also tasked with building a cinema for the Dalai Lama to watch these films, and was responsible for figuring out how to provide power to the new feature (he used the engine of an old Jeep). Harrer also made suggestions to improve the Inner Garden at the Potala Palace, including cutting down some larger trees to give the fruit trees sunshine. When the cinema was complete, a procession was held to celebrate, and Harrer could not help but think of how lonely the Dalai Lama must be. He wondered whether he was the only one who saw him as a boy, rather than as a god.