|
 
 The
magnificent monastries of Ladakh are the very essence of its culture,
the repositories of all its treasures of Buddhist art, the focus
of festivity. The centuries old culture of Ladakh has found expression
in its monuments, Gompas oral literature, art forms, fairs and
festivals, thus reflecting the strong hold religion has in the
lives of the Ladakhis. Many of the annual festivals of the gompas
take place in winter, a relatively idle time for the majority
of the people. They take the form of dance-dramas in the gompa
courtyards.
The monastic festivals are brilliant spectacles
of colour, of song and dance that revitalize the spirit of the
people. Cham, the srecret masked dance is performed on these occassions
by monks resplendent in brocade robes and vivid masks. Long horns
are blown, cymbals clash and the dancers bring alive stories from
the Buddhist epics. Many of these festivals occur in the winter
months and live a long hard season. Lamas, robed in colourful garments and wearing often startlingly
frightful masks, perform mimes representing 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, with crowds of women and men, the opportunity to make
new friendships and renew old ones, the general bustle and sense
of occasion.
Losar
The Buddhists of Ladakh celebrate Losar as their
new year. Before the rule of Jamiang Namgyal (1555-1610), this
day was considered to be the first day of the Ladakhi Buddhist
year, which is based on the moon and sun similar to that of the
Hindus. However, Losar was advanced by two days as Jamiang Namgyal
decided to invade Skardu before the new year. Since then, Losar
is celebrated on the last two days of the 10th Bodhi month, which
coincides with December of the Christian calender. Losar is celebrated
with traditional gaiety and fervor. The festivities include illuminations,
drinking, dancing, singing and general merry-making. Men come
out of their homes with torches of wood which are whirled round
and round. People visit each other's homes during these celebrations,
which continue for many days. Tampe Chonga
The fifteenth day of the first Bodhi month is celebrated
as a festival marking Buddha's entry into the womb of his mother.
Prayers are held both at home and in the gompas. Jipe Chonga
The fifteenth day of the fourth Bodhi month is the day when
the Buddha is believed to have taken physical birth. The people
fast on the Jipe Chonga day. Homes and gompas are illuminated
and special prayers are conducted. Tukpa Sheji
The fourth day of the sixth Bodhi month is the day when Buddha
delivered his first sermon at Sarnath in northern India. Special
prayers are held to mark this occasion and the people pay their
respects to the Lord at the gompa to which they owe allegiance. Shey Shrupla
This festival is celebrated to mark the bringing home of
the harvest. It begins in the middle of the seventh Bodhi month
at Shey village. Shey Shrupla lasts two days during which the
goddess of plenty is worshipped. A chosen person is possessed
by the goddess. The chosen person is usually a man belonging a
particular family of Shey. He is trained for his exalted role
doctrined about 15 days in advance. The chosen man is possessed
by the goddess for a few hours on both days. As a mark of reverence,
the people make various offerings to the goddess, who also "foretells"
the future of her devotees. New born children are also christened
by the goddess. A
group of dancers perform a special dance depicting tigers and
horses. People from the surrounding regions flock to Shey during
this period. Taktak and Chimrey Anchuk
The Taktak and Chimrey Anchuk gompas of the Nigmpa sect celebrate
this festival on the 29th and 30th days of the ninth Bodhi month,
every year at Taktak and in alternate years in the Hemis and Chimrey
gompas. Thousands of people gather together on this occasion and
the lamas perform tantrik dances wearing masks of the different
deities who are invoked. These dances depict the struggle between
good and evil, in which the former emerges victorious. Mystical
rites may be conducted for warding off natural calamities like
famines and earthquakes. Spituk Gustor
The Spituk Gustor gompa is the venue for this festival which
is held on the 28th and 29th day of the eleventh Bodhi month.
This festival is special to the Gelukpa set. The celebrations
and festivities resemble those of Taktak Anchuk. Hemis Chheshu
Held at the Hemis Gompa on the tenth and eleventh days of
the fifth Bodhi month, this festival celebrates the birthday of
Padma Sambhava. The festival attracts people from all over Ladakh
and also from other parts of India as well as abroad. Hemis Chheshu
is the largest summer festival held in Ladakh. A group musical
dance drama is performed by the lamas to depict the exploits of
the great master Padma Sambhava in vanquishing the Bon magicians
and the spirits under their control. This dance involves precise
movements which are practised well in advance. Masks are worn
by the performers and the drama ends in victory for Padma Sambhava.
This festival symbolizes the victory of right over wrong, good
over evil. All calamities that might befall the region are exorcised
away by this mystical ritual. Gaun Tserug
The Gaun Tserug festival is celebrated at Phyang on the 28th
and 29th days of the first Bodhi month. It includes ritualistic
worship and the lama dance.
Nagrang
The Nagrang festival is held at Matho Gompa on the 14th and
15th days of the first Bodhi month. It includes, like other festivals,
the lama dance and ritualistic worship. Dasmochhe
This is the most popular festival of Ladakh on the occasion
of which a fair is also held. Dasmochhe is celebrated on the 28th
and 29th days of the twelfth Bodhi month, with the main celebrations
being held at Leh. In the past, the Raja used to bear most of
the expenses of the festivities. Many dances are held on both
these days, staged alternatively by lamas of the Matho and Gaun
and Phyang gompas. People from all over Ladakh come to Leh for
Dasmochhe. Horse racing takes place towards the end of the festivities
and may continue for a few days after this festival. In the past,
when Ladakh was an independent kingdom, the Raja held a Durbar
(court) on Dasmochhe. Likir Dasmochhe
This festival is celebrated at Likir Gompa on the same days as
the Dasmochhe festival of Leh. The lamas perform dances and worship
the Lord Buddha. Muslim Festivals and Fairs
Muslim Festivals are celebrated by the Muslin populations
of Ladakh. They include the traditional Islamic festivals such
as Id. Local fairs are also held. Where there is an overwhelming
majority of Buddhists, the Muslims participate in local fairs
such as the Leh Dasmochhe. |
