Hemis Festival
The Background
Hemis Festival - ladakh One of the most famous festivals in June to celebrate the birth of guru Padmsambhava.(Gur Rimpoche), the founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet and venerated as the representative reincarnate of Buddha. The sacred dance drama of the life and mission is performed at Hemis Gompa located at a distance of 45 kms from Leh, the capital of Ladakh wearing facial masks and colourful brocades robes.Hemis Gompa is known as the Chang-Chub-sam-Ling, the solitary place of the Compassionate One. This dance drama depicts the destroying the evil forces and the celebration of good over evil. However, there is a difference of opinion among lamas about this interpretation.
This 200 years old tradition was introduced by a member of Ladakh's ruling family who was reincarnated in the 18th century as the monastry's Head Lama, Sras Rimpoche.
This was built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal, an illustrious rular of Ladakh. It florished under the Namgyal dynesty for the royalty favoured the Drugpa sect, which managed the monestry. The temple is known as Tshogkhang.
The celebration
Hemis Festival - ladakhThis three day festival is celebrated from 9th to 11th date of the month. He is believed to to have been born on the 10th day of the fifth month of the Monkey year as predicted by the Shakia Muni Buddha. The mission of his life was and remains to improve the spiritual condition of all living beings. During the monkey year festival which comes after every 12 years, the four storied Thanka of the gurus hung in the country yard and other precious thankas are also exebited). This festival is celebrated in memory of the respected guru and said to give spiritual strength and good health.This festival takes place in the rectengular country yard in front of the main door of the monestry. A special musical instrument (Three meter long brass trumpets) is played during the Chham dances. The Chham dancers perform around the central flag pole wearing colourful costumes and masks. The dances end with the ritual destruction of of a sacrificial offering of a human figure made of dough by the leader of the Black Hat dancers.
Rimpoche or the head lama precides over the function. The lamas recite mantras associated with the various episodes of the Chhams. It is written in the Padma Katang, the prophecy of Guru Padmasambhava, that on this day the faithful and the sincere devotees will actually be blessed by alive vision of the Guru himself.
