Leh: This is the best time to visit Ladakh as Ladakh’s Hemis Festival is right around the corner. Also called as Tse-Chu, this festival is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. This two days festival is going to be organized on July 08 and 09.
During this festival, the grand Hemis Monastery which is located in Ladakh is all decked up. This is also the best time to experience the Ladakhi culture.
The locals, in their traditional best, gather in the monastery courtyard where the main celebration takes place. Lamas in traditional attires and colourful masks open the festival with cham, also known as the masked dance. The stunning masks and headgears have different meanings and are of cultural significance.
The main attraction of this festival is the Cham Dance. Also called as the God Dance, it is only performed by the monks and lamas as it has religious significance.
Talking about the history of Hemis Festival, back in the 8th century, it was believed that the locals were tormented by evil spirits and demons. It was Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rimpoche, who saved the day and people started celebrating this win over evil. Basically, the Hemis Festival is celebrated to keep negativity at bay and welcome new life that is filled with hope and positive energy.
It was through Guru Padmasambhava that Tantric Buddhism was introduced in the Himalayan region. Hemis Festival is also a celebration of Buddhism and Tibetan culture.
While visiting Hemis Festival, the visitors are always requested to respect the local culture and the festival environment in general as it is a religious festival,. Proper clothing is advised, and do carry sun protection as it is an outdoor event. Photography inside the prayer hall and monastery museum is strictly prohibited.
