Place : Ladakh, Jammu
Kashmir
Month : June - July
Venue : Courtyard, Hemis Gompa
Significance : The birth anniversary of Guru
Padmasambhava
About Hemis Festival
The Hemis Monastery lying just 45 kms away from Leh, the capital of Ladakh
is the largest Buddhist monastery in the area. The courtyard of Hemis Gompa
- the biggest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh, is the stage for the famous
'Hemis' festival, held annually in the month of June/July.Hemis festival is
one of the most famous monastic festivals to commemorate the birth of Guru
Padmasambhava, the founder of Tantric Buddhism in Tibet.
The 3 day colourful festival falls on the 10th day (Tse-Chu) of the Tibetan
lunar month. During the festival, the local people are seen dressed up in
their finest traditional garb for the occasion.
Crowds
gather here in huge numbers to commemorate the birth anniversary of
Padmasambhava, the Buddhist saint.
The Event During the Festival
'Rimpoche' or the head lama presides over the function. The lamas recite
mantras associated with the various episodes of the 'chhams'. The festival
takes an auspicious turn every 12 years in the Tibetan Year of the Monkey,
when the two-storey high ' Thanka' depicting Padmasambhava is displayed.
This famous 'Thanka' is richly embroidered with pearls and semi-precious
stones.
A colourful fair, displaying some beautiful handicrafts, is the special
highlight of the festival. The sacred dance drama of the life and mission is
performed wearing facial masks and colorful brocades robes. Dramatic masked
dancers, swirling around to the music of pipes, enact the battle between the
good and the evil spirits. Around the monastery a fair springs up during the
festival where local handicrafts are sold.
Getting There
Hemis lies 45-km southeast of Leh, the headquarters of Ladakh.
Air : The nearest airport is at Leh.
Road : By car, Hemis is an easy day trip from Leh. By bus, services
are only frequent during the festival.
