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Ladakh Fairs & Festivals
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
Ladakh Fairs & Festivals, About Ladakh
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