|
Fairs & Festivals of Ladakh
Festivals
in Ladakh are celebrated as the occasions for merry-making. These festivals
provide people with ample opportunities to interact with each other, form new
ties and renew the old ones. Many of the annual festivals of the Gompas
take place in winter, which is a relatively idle time for majority of the
people.
These take the form of dance-dramas in the gompa courtyards. Lamas,
attired in colourful robes and wearing masks,
perform mimes symbolising various
aspects of the religion such as the progress of the individual soul and its
purification or the triumph of good over evil.
Local people flock from near and
far to these events and the spiritual benefits they get are no doubt heightened
by their enjoyment of the party atmosphere .
Hemis Festival in Ladakh
Hemis is the biggest and most famous of the monastic festivals,
frequented by tourists and local alike. It falls in late June or the first half
of July, and is dedicated to Padmasambhava.
|
|
Every 12 years, the gompa's greatest
treasure, a huge thangka - a religious icon painted or embroidered on cloth - is
ritually exhibited. The next unveiling is due to take place in A.D. 2004. Other
monasteries which have summer festivals are Lamayuru (also early July), Phiyang
(late July or early August), Tak-thok (about ten days after Phiyang) and Karsha
in Zanskar (11 days after Phiyang). Like Hemis, the Phiyang festival too
involves the exhibition of gigantic thangka, though here it is done every year.
|
|
Dosmoche Festival in Ladakh
Dosmoche, the festival of the
scapegoat, is celebrated with fervor at Leh. Falling in the second half of
February, Dosmoche is one of two New Year festivals, the other being Losar.
At
Dosmoche, a great wooden mast decorated with streamers and religious emblems is
et up outside Leh.
At the appointed time, offerings of storma, ritual figures
moulded out of dough, are brought out and ceremonially cast away into the
desert, or burnt.
These scapegoats carry away with them the evil spirits of the
old year, and thus the town is cleansed and made ready
to welcome the new year. |
Spituk, stok, thikse, chemrey and Matho all have their
festivals in winter, between November and March. Likir and Deskit (Nubra )time
their festivals to coincide with Dosmoche.
Losar
Losar -this
spectacular festival celebrates the Ladakhi/Tibetan new year. Festivities last
for 2 weeks during December or January,depending on the Lunar calander . All
Ladakhi Buddhists celebrate it by making offerings to the gods, both in gompas
and in their domestic shrines.
The festival is marked with ancient rituals,the
stage fights between good & evil, chanting and passing through the crowds
with fire torches.
The dance of the Ibex deer and the dramatic battles between
the King & his ministers add to the joyous atmosphere.
Full of music,dancing
and merry-making ! This important festival changes location & dates every
year.
Sindhu Darshan
Sindhu Darshan Festival, as the name
suggests, is a celebration of river Sindhu, also known as the Indus. |
|
People
travel for a Darshan and Puja of the River Sindhu (Indus) which originates from
the Mansarovar in Tibet. The Festival aims at projecting the Sindhu river as a
symbol of multi-dimensional cultural identity, communal harmony and peaceful
co-existence in India. Whilst promoting tourism in this area,
this festival is also a symbolic salute to the brave soldiers of India who have
valiantly fought the odds at Siachen, Kargil and other places.
It is
also an opportunity for people from around the country and overseas to visit the
beautiful regions of Leh and Ladakh. Celebrated first time in the year 1997, the
festival is organised annually at Leh in the month of May-June by the Government
of Jammu and Kashmir with the support of the Ministry of tourism and culture,
Government of India.
The festival is kaleidoscope of Indian culture and
showcases an exciting array of performing arts being brought together at an
exciting place. As part of the celebrations, various groups from different
states in India bring water from the other mighty rivers in the country in
earthen pots and immerse these pots in the Sindhu river, thereby mingling the
river water with other waters of the land.
Ladakh Harvest Festival
The festival usually starts from 1st september and lasts till sepftember
15th. It is a colourful celebration of the rich,cultural diversity of Ladakh's
people. The weeks long festivities are held all over the region. Music, theatre,
polo, archery,& wedding ceremonies,are performed daily along with mask and
folk dances,with the final carnival parade passing through the streets of Leh.
Ladakh
Festival
Ladakh Festival The blend of various cultures of Central Asian,
Tibetan, Northern India are found in Ladakh.The duration of Ladakh festival is
of 15 days i.e From the 1st to the 15th of September.Various sports such as polo
and archery are conducted. Folk dances and songs, its age-old social And
cultural ceremonies, its art and handicrafts, all come alive in a colorful
kaleidoscope.
Tak -Tok Festival
Tak-Tok festival is celebrated
at cave Gompa of Tak- Tok . It is among the major festivals of Ladakh.
Celebrated in summer, it is yet another tourist attraction. The festival is
celebrated with fanfare and locals from far-flung areas storm the place on the
occasion
|
|
