Unwanted guest by Rahman Roslan
  • Manali, situated in Hichmal Pradesh, known as " The Valley of God " with beautiful landscapes of mountains and alpine forests where the marijuana bushes grow in the wild and life had barely changed in thousands of years.Manali, situated in Hichmal Pradesh, known as " The Valley of God " with beautiful landscapes of mountains and alpine forests where the marijuana bushes grow in the wild and life had barely changed in thousands of years.
  • Local kids play around in their school courtyard, with wild marijuana bushes grows around the compound.Local kids play around in their school courtyard, with wild marijuana bushes grows around the compound.
  • Local women dance during a religious ceremony in the creamation temple,"bhootnath", Manali. Once a year, the temple celebrates a ritual, where they produce a mixture of hash and milk to be drink by the devotees.Local women dance during a religious ceremony in the creamation temple,"bhootnath", Manali. Once a year, the temple celebrates a ritual, where they produce a mixture of hash and milk to be drink by the devotees.
  • A group of Nepalese migrant who works in the market admitted that they would rather work in a marijuana farm, during the harvesting season to earn more money, despites the possible threat by the authorities.A group of Nepalese migrant who works in the market admitted that they would rather work in a marijuana farm, during the harvesting season to earn more money, despites the possible threat by the authorities.
  • A local policeman make a call as he investigate a drug trade case involving a Nepalese, and a local. The local police claim that they have been at success in combating the illegal drug trade in Manali, by citing a recent example where they have arrested a local drug lord, with 107 kg of processed hash. A quick query to a local who are willing to talk about it will prove otherwise. A local guy who refuses to be named, has made a claim that the police has not done enough, and sometimes been bribe by the hash farmers to be quite about their illegal activities. A local policeman make a call as he investigate a drug trade case involving a Nepalese, and a local. The local police claim that they have been at success in combating the illegal drug trade in Manali, by citing a recent example where they have arrested a local drug lord, with 107 kg of processed hash. A quick query to a local who are willing to talk about it will prove otherwise. A local guy who refuses to be named, has made a claim that the police has not done enough, and sometimes been bribe by the hash farmers to be quite about their illegal activities.
  • Dinesh, a local boy who grew up in Manali has seen so much destruction in his society cause by the marijuana trade. He himself was involve in drug addiction, but manage to turn away from the problem, and now inspiring to help others, to cure the desease which has been slowly killing his people by sharing his experience to the young generations.Dinesh, a local boy who grew up in Manali has seen so much destruction in his society cause by the marijuana trade. He himself was involve in drug addiction, but manage to turn away from the problem, and now inspiring to help others, to cure the desease which has been slowly killing his people by sharing his experience to the young generations.
  • Suresh, who suffers drug addiction for more than 27 years, take his bath in the hot water public pool in Vashisht. He is one of many locals who has succumb to drug addiction, a sutle effect that slowly destroy the society in Manali.Suresh, who suffers drug addiction for more than 27 years, take his bath in the hot water public pool in Vashisht. He is one of many locals who has succumb to drug addiction, a sutle effect that slowly destroy the society in Manali.

« Previous     Next »

Manali has been long holding dark secrets that flies just under the radar. When western travelers, encroach this peaceful valley which is know as The Valley of God by the locals, it creates a ripple effect more than what the local have expected.

Located in Himachal Pradesh, Manali was being stalked by a series of problems that locals had tried their best to conceal. Exploiting the wild marijuana which grows literally everywhere, due to the perfect climate in Manali for its cultivation and the demand by the the foreigners / illegal market, the locals has long been producing cup-winning hash and reap millions of incomes in return. Not only the illegal activities helps them to fund their infrastructure,

and economy development, but little they realize that it has slowly become a deadly desease, contaminating

their vein, and killing the society, turning this peaceful valley into darkness.

—————–

Rahman Roslan is a 24-year-old photojournalist / documentary photographer based in Kuala Lumpur, focusing on news and documentary photography . He has recently travel to Kashmir to document the aftermath of the on going conflict, and won the Emerging Talent Award for FOUNDRY 2009 workshop, in Manali India.

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Google Bookmarks

Nov 30, 2009 | Filed under Photography, Photostories.

5 Responses Subscribe to comments


  1. Aditya Kapoor

    I like this story and wish the photographer had more to tell.

    Nov 30, 2009 @ 2:19 am


  2. Abhi

    photo #2, superb mood! nice story..

    Nov 30, 2009 @ 7:10 am


  3. ish

    its a forced story and text no relationship between the photos and all … bad representaion of a very sensitive topic // … good photos but why make up a story /// .. who are the other people? no captions for other photos —

    Dec 03, 2009 @ 11:10 pm


  4. Mark

    Great photos, but I think the texts need to be edited. Still, major props to Blindboys for the work they do.

    Dec 08, 2009 @ 1:06 pm


  5. aziz

    nice B/W,,

    Dec 12, 2009 @ 6:54 am

Reply