'Land of High Passes’ - Ladakh is a region of vibrant and colorful festivals, as it hosts two of world major religions Hindu and Buddhism. The reflections of these cultures are very well evident in the festivals which mostly happen in winter but some popular festivals take place in summer too. Each occasion - marriage, birth, harvesting, commemoration of head Lamas of the monastery, Losar (new year) and flowering is marked by a festival of feast, dance and music.
The best way to have a feel of the Ladakhi culture, is to visit it during the festive seasons, when people from different corners of Ladakh focalize at one place to celebrate and enjoy. You can witness traditional music, mask dances, archery contests, polo games performed by the monks from the monasteries. These festivals bring together a magnificent display of the inherent diversity of the region.
The popular festivals of this region are Hemis, Dosmoche, Losar, Sindhu Darshan, Ladakh Festival, and Tak-Tok, most of which are annual monastic festivals, comprising of dance-dramas in the gompas courtyards by the 'lama' or the monks themselves.
Hemis Festival, a two-day colorful fun filled festival held in the month of June celebrates victory of good over evil. One can see a number of people dressed in bright and colorful clothes during the festival. The main highlight of the Hemis festival is the unique masked dance performed by Lamas. Following Tibetan calendar, on tenth day of lunar month, the Lama Head organizes the Hemis Festival, in order to protect the people.
It is believed that Tibetan Buddhism founder, Guru Padmasambhava, fought the evil on his birth anniversary, so people celebrate that events every year in a grand way.This festival is organized in the Hemis monastery, which is 300-year-old and is also Ladakh’s richest monastery.
Dosmoche festival is an annual two day festival held in the month of February in Likir and Diskit monasteries located in ladakh. The patio of the bethels underneath Leh Palace reverberate with the sound of drums and pounding steps of masked Lamas from various monasteries performing their sacred dance. Lamas from Takthok Monastery proficient in astrology and tantric practices, form convoluted thread crosses to seize evil spirits.
The word Losar in Tibetan script means for New Year. LO means year and SAR means new. Tibetans celebrate their New Year as Losar. The Tibetan New Year is memorialized on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which usually falls in the month of January or February or even in March. Monasteries of ladakh are decked up with the finest decorations during this festival. As an age old tradition people paint their houses and exchange special dishes with each other.
Sindhu Darshan Festival is one of the leading events in ladakh which attracts the attention of tourists worldwide. On full moon day (on Guru Purnima)of June, the festival is celebrated on the banks of river Indus, for three days. This festival symbolizes the theme - unity in diversity and peace in India. Folks from different regions across India assemble and perform in this cultural retreat.
Tak tok festival is dedicated to Padmasambhava founder of ‘Tibetan Buddhism’ who meditated in a cave Gompa in Tak Tok (ladakh) in the 7th century. This unique festival comprises of six mask dances with deep religious and spiritual meanings. Fascinating local music played with traditional instruments - long horns, cymbals and big handheld drums and slow movement dance are the main highlights of this festival. It is said that mountains are nature’s gift ladakh itself is a cultural extravaganza coupled with spiritual tranquility and heavenly experience.
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