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Who doesn't like a starling and lively experience filled with colors of sacred tradition? The festivals in Ladakh give an insight into ancient Buddhist practices and are known for their traditional dances, ceremonial practices, music, and display of Buddhist art.
The festivals of Ladakh are a major tourist attraction and receive a heavy number of visitors from across the world.
The festivals celebrated in Ladakh do not fail to mesmerize tourists by showcasing the different cultures that accommodate the region. Here's a selectively curated list of festivals celebrated in Ladakh that you must attend at least once.
Must-visit Festivals in Ladakh
Here's a selectively curated list of festivals celebrated in Ladakh that you must attend at least once:
1. Hemis Festival
Hosted in the Hemis gompa, the Hemis festival is celebrated on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar month. The festival is characterized by the display of a four-story thangka (a Buddhist painting done on cotton) shown once every 12 years.
The festival is held to commemorate the founder of tantric Buddhism in Tibet; Guru Padmasambhava. You can find the monks and locals dressed in traditional clothes and beautiful jewelry.
The festival is also known for the Cham dance which is an important part of the tantric tradition along with music provided by drums and longhorns giving an ancient aura and attracting tourists from all over the world to this festival.
Celebration time: early June for 3 days
Location: Hemis monastery, 45 km from Leh city
2. Yuru Kabgyat Festival
The Lamayuru monastery, more commonly known as the moonscape for tourists is the host of this festival. The Yuru Kabgyat festival is celebrated on the 17th and 18th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan calendar.
The festival is famous for its Cham dance in which the lamas wear colorful vibrant masks and dance in a circle.
The drama dance is the main highlight of this occasion and shows the characters of the god of death, Yama, and Padmasambhava. The festival happens in the presence of Buddhist monks not just from India but also from Bhutan, China, Japan, and Korea.
Celebration time: June/July
Location: Lamayuru monastery, located about 127 km away from Leh
3. Losar Festival
The Losar festival is a celebration of the new year celebrated in its 11th month of the Tibetan calendar. The festival is celebrated all over Ladakh and is characterized by ancient rituals and sacrifices.
The people illuminate their houses and decorate them by painting religious symbols and flower arrangements. Delicious food is prepared and fed to the gods, deities, and idols as well as animals.
Processions of people chanting slogans to chase away evil are also common during this festival. The people carry out these processions wearing traditional clothes and beautiful vivid masks. The Losar festival is a celebration of tradition.
Celebration time: December/January
Location: All over Ladakh
4. Saka Dawa Festival
The Saka Dawa festival is celebrated on the 4th month of the Tibetan calendar. This month is considered to be the month when buddha gained spiritual awakening.
The birth of Buddha is also celebrated in the same month making it one of the holiest Buddhist festivals in Ladakh. This festival is characterized by the changing of the flagpole by the monks.
The festival is colorful and vibrant and is celebrated all over Ladakh by doing the cham dance and setting animals free. This spiritual festival will surely give you an insight into the Buddhist culture and its teachings.
Celebration time: June
Location: All over Ladakh
5. Ladakh Harvest Festival
Organized by the Jammu and Kashmir tourism department the Ladakh harvest festival is a mixture of Asian Tibetan and North Indian culture shown beautifully through dances, handicrafts, music, and theatre.
The festival consists of a procession through the market of Leh in which troops and villages portray their traditions. The festival celebrates and rejoices in the harvest of crops and promotes as well as maintains Ladakh's rich heritage.
Celebration time: 1-5th September
Location: Leh
6. Sindhu Darshan Festival
The Sindhu darshan festival is celebrated on the full moon of the Guru Poornima and goes on for three days. The festival is celebrated in honor of the river Indus and to promote unity and communal harmony in India.
The Sindhu darshan festival is characterized by people bringing pots of water from their states and immersing it in the Sindhu river. A reception ceremony, as well as a series of cultural programs from various parts of India, is arranged by the religious associations of the country.
A total of 50 monks recite prayers on the bank of the river Indus to celebrate this festival. The Sindhu darshan festival shows the integrity of the country in the best way possible.
Celebration time: 1st - 3rd June
Location: Banks of Sindhu river
7. Phyang Tsedup Festival
The Phyang Tsedup Festival in Ladakh is celebrated to commemorate the teachings of Lord Buddha. This festival is dedicated to Jigten Gombo, founder of the Dringumpa Monastic Dynasty.
The festival is celebrated on the 2nd and 3rd day of the 6th month of the Tibetan Calendar which falls in July.
During the Phyang Tsedup Festival, rituals of burnt offerings are sacrificed and enthusiastic monks draped in hues of robes and smiling masks dances around the monastery. The locals are clothed in colorful traditional outfits as they worship and make merry on the grounds of the monastery.
Celebration time: Mid-July/August
Location: Phyang Monastery
8. Domosche Festival
The Domosche Festival is one of the most popular festivals celebrated in Ladakh. This festival is an annual prayer festival to ward off evil spirits and maintain the well-being of the people.
Originally a festival of the royals of the Ladakh region, it is celebrated with great enthusiasm as evidenced by the colorful robes and masks adorned by monks and the people alike.
It is a two-day event where the palaces and monasteries in Ladakh are brightly decorated. A lot of offerings and rituals of thread crosses take place to keep the evil spirits and demonic forces away for the new year ahead.
Celebration Time: February
Location: Leh, Likir, Diskit monasteries
9. Tak Tok Festival
A major festival celebrated in Ladakh, the Tak Tok Festival is celebrated with loud fanfare and joy. Locals and tourists alike come together at the cave of Tak Tok Gompa to enjoy and seek blessings on the occasion.
From the early morning prayers to the mask dances and religious rituals performed throughout the day, the festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm. Anyone taking part in the festival can wear the ethnic clothes of the locals and indulge in the delicacies served during the festivals.
Celebration Time: July
Location: Tak Tok Gompa, Leh
FAQs
1. What are the three famous festivals of Ladakh?
Hemis Festival, Ladakh Harvest Festival, and Losar Festival are among the most popular festivals celebrated in Ladakh.
2. Which festival is celebrated in Ladakh in June?
A lot of festivals celebrated in Ladakh fall in June however, the most popular ones are the Sindhu Darshan Festival, Hemis Festival, Yuru Kabgyat Festival, and Saka Dawa Festival.
3. What is Saka Dawa festival?
The Saka Dawa Festival in Ladakh is an occasion celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Buddha, his enlightenment, and his death in the 4th month of the Tibetan Calendar.
4. Where is the Hemis festival held?
The Hemis festival is celebrated in the Hemis Gompa/monastery in Ladakh. It is one of the most popular and important festivals celebrated in Ladakh.
5. In which month Hemis festival is celebrated in Ladakh?
The Hemis festival in Ladakh is a two-day event celebrated on the 10th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan Calendar. It usually falls in June or July.
6. How many festivals are there in Ladakh?
There are many festivals celebrated in Ladakh. However, the most common ones are the ones celebrated by the people of the Buddhist faith and hence held in monasteries across Ladakh.
Final Words
The festivals of Ladakh portray its diversity through a cultural kaleidoscope. the ancient traditions of Ladakh are hidden inside these festivals covered by a celebration with dance and music.
With a wide array of festivals in the beautiful land of Ladakh, a visit to any one of these festivals will help you inch closer to understanding the intricate beauty and culture of the people of Ladakh.
The festivals in Ladakh are not only fun but also show us some important teachings about life. Enjoy the vivid beauty of these festivals on your next trip to Ladakh!
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