Hemis Festival, Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir

Editorial Staff February 18, 2023 Colors of India Leave a comment 303 Views

The Hemis Gompa is known for its biggest Buddhist monastery in Ladakh, where a memorable festival is celebrated. This festival brings in hundreds and thousands of devotees, villagers and tourists, making it a home for several hundreds of monks. Even though the festival is celebrated for only two days in June, it attracts visitors from all over the world who come to witness the age-old religious paintings called thangka.

During the festival, traditional dances are performed by masked monks called ‘Lamas or chhams’ who dance in-tune with the sound of drums, cymbals and trumpets. Many shopkeepers set up small stalls outside the monastery to trade a variety of souvenirs. Visitors can enjoy the pleasure of the cold breeze flowing in the atmosphere while roaming around the city, as sufficient transport facilities such as public buses, rental cars, and taxis are available.

Monks blow horns for the first morning prayer

The Hemis monastery is located approximately 40 km away from Ladakh and is connected to Srinagar and Jammu. Tourists can visit other attractions like the ‘Zoji La Pass’ from Srinagar to Ladakh, and the ‘Rohtang Pass’ from Manali to Ladakh after enjoying the colorful festival. The festival is celebrated in honor of Guru Padma Sambhava’s birth anniversary, and the monastery was built in 1630 during the reign of Sengge Namgyal, a well-known ruler of Ladakh.

The joyful two-day fair starts on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar month. Local folks dress up in their finest traditional clothing for the occasion. The famous Thangka, which is richly embroidered with pearls and precious gemstones, is showcased during this fair. The Hemis monastery is divided into two sides, with the assembly hall on the right side of the entrance and the main temple on the left side known as ‘Tshogkhang’. During the festival, many dancers use the assembly hall called ‘Dukhang’ or the ‘green room’ for day-night practice sessions. The fair is also a great place for displaying a variety of homemade items and handicrafts.