Monday 5 November 2012

Ladakh Tour: Monks & Monasteries


Perched in the foothills of the mighty Himalayas sits Hemis Gompa, the largest Buddhist monastery in all of Ladakh. Camped beneath the shadows of the towering mountainscape, this 17th century institution fills to the brim for the two-day Hemis Festival commemorating the life of revered guru, Padmasambhav, founder of Tantric Buddhism. On the tenth day of the Tibetan lunar month, Buddhist monks and locals alike pack the courtyard walls to witness the sacred dance of Padmasambhava. Monks known as “chhams” take center during the performances, held only in monasteries where Tantric teachings and worship are practiced. Performers don papier-mâché masks twisted into ghastly faces and slowly circle around the courtyard’s central flagpole, enacting the ancient battle between good and evil. Cymbals clash, drums pound, and horns drone until the battle concludes with the dark demons’ defeat.

The monastic festivals provide the average Ladakhi with a spice of life, as 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 in their colourful best, making every festival a carnival of colours.

EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF 'CHHAMS'

Chhams, a highly choreographed sacred dance drama, is the core of every monastic festival. A select group of resident lamas, in brightly patterned brocade robes, perform these dances in the courtyard of the monastery. All of them wear masks which represent various divinities found in the 'Gon Khang' - the room dedicated to the guardian divinities - in every major monastery. Some may even represent characters from historical episodes of Tibetan fables.

Holding ritual objects in their hands, the lamas step around the central flagpole of the monastic courtyard in solemn dance and mime, accompanied by the clash of cymbals, the boom of drums, the melodious sound of the 'Shawm', and the deep resonance of twelve-foot horns.Read more