Destinations
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Monastic festivals of Ladakh Monastic festivals: A carnival of life
It is the monastic festivals that are celebrated with real
gusto and faith. No other festival can match them in religious
and entertainment value. Monastic festivals are held to
commemorate the founding of a monastery, the birthday of its
patron saint or major events in the evolution of Tibetan
Buddhism. Thousands of people turn out to make every festival
a carnival of colours.
Experience the power of `Chhams' The lamas, holding ritual objects in their hands, step around
the central flagpole of the monastic courtyard in solemn dance
and mime, accompanied by the crash of cymbals, the
reverberation of drums, the melodious sound of the `Shawn',
and the deep resonance of twelve-foot horns. Every dance
begins with `Ser Kyem', an invocation with offerings of sacred
water and food to the gods and the guardians of the four
quarters to witness the 'Chhams'.
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As the `Chhams' approaches the climax, the votive offering is a grotesque human figure made of dough which is ritually dismembered. This is traditionally done by `Jha Nak', or the leader of the Black Hat dancers. He then scatters the pieces in the four cardinal directions. This act has many interpretations: cleansing of the soul, the dissolution of the human body after death, a re-enactment of the assassination of the Tibetan apostate king Lang-dar-ma by a Buddhist monk in AD 842. Life and After Life Monastic Festivals Losar Losar is the most elaborate of all the socio-religious events of Ladakh. It involves the entire population of the region. Interestingly, the rites and rituals are a mixture of Buddhist and pre-Buddhist Bon religious practices. Preparations start at the end of the harvest period when people start stocking provisions, sheep and goats for the customary feasts as well as grain for brewing `chang' (a local barley beer). New clothes and jewellery are kept ready for the occasion. The festivities start on the 29th day of the 10th month with the illumination of buildings and shrines. Sheep and goats reserved for the occasion are ritually slaughtered to begin the series of evening feasts within families, celebrated in rotation. The New Year day itself starts with the offering of votives and greetings to various gods, elders, relatives and friends. Afterwards, the elders await the customary visitors who come to greet the family with presents and `Khatak'(ceremonial scarf). The younger members go out to visit other families. Leh and its adjoining villages wear a carnival look as people dress for the occasion. It is customary for Muslims and Christians in Leh to visit their Buddhist friends and greet them on the eve of Losar.
In the evening, the `Metho' ceremony takes place. The bazaars of Leh and the streets of villages are lit up as processions bearing flaming torches pass, with people chanting slogans to chase evil spirits and hungry ghosts, believed to be the result of bad Karma. Whirling torches create a fantastic display of fire and light. At the end of it all, the torches are thrown well outside the town to bid farewell to the old year and to welcome the new one. GU-STOR The victory of Black Hat dancers over evil Gu-Stor literally means `sacrifice of the 29th day', traditional in the monasteries of the reformist Geluk-pa order of Tibetan Buddhism. This two-day long festival is held mainly in the Spituk, Thiksey and Karsha (Zanskar) monasteries, at different times every year. The celebration ends with the dismemberment and dispersal of the `Storma' (sacrificial cake) by the leader of the Black Hat dancers in a ceremony called `Argham' or `Killing'. This symbolises the destruction of all forms of evil. And also re-enacts the assassination of the Tibetan apostate King Lang-dar-ma, by a Buddhist monk in the mid 9th century. In some monasteries, an effigy symbolising the stronger force of evil is burnt at the end of the festival. The masks worn by the dancers represent the guardian divinities (Dharmapalas) of the pantheon, and the patron divinities of the Geluk-pa order. DOSMOCHE The tantra of `DO' : The lamas of the Takthok Monastery, the only Nyingmapa foundation of Ladakh, who are experts in tantric practice and astrology, prepare the elaborate `DO' or thread crosses - the main objects of offering, which ensnare all the evil spirits, hungry ghosts and demonic forces when the prescribed mantras and requisite rites are performed by the lamas.
Dosmoche celebrations are also held in the Likir (Indus valley) and Deksit (Nubra valley) monasteries. In Deksit, a number of folk dances are performed as interludes to the `Chhams'. Monastic Festivals TSE-CHU This 200 year-old tradition was introduced by a member of Ladakh's ruling family who was reincarnated in the 18th century as the monastery's Head Lama, 'Sras Rimpoche'. The Hemis dances are a re-enactment of the magical feats of Padmasambhava, in his services to the cause of Buddhism in his eight different manifestations. The festival is particularly auspicious every 12 years in the Tibetan year of the Monkey, when the two-storey high Thangka depicting Padmasambhava is displayed. This famous Thangka, richly mbroidered with pearls and semi-precious stones, is due to be displayed next in AD 2004. As the Hemis festival is held during the peak summer season, it attracts the largest number of people both from within and outside Ladakh. MATHONAGRANG STOK GURU TSE-CHU PHYANG TSEDUP YURU KABGYAT GALDAN NAMCHOT Compiled by Puneet Sachdeva |
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Editor: Romola Butalia   (c) India Travelogue. All rights reserved. |