The amazing Mask Dance Hemis, meant to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, is performed by the lamas and monks.
All the villages and families can get together and enjoy this magnificent celebration, which also serves to socialise the monks and lamas. Men wear cummerbands while women are decked out in colourful headpieces and more jewellery during the festival.
When the three-metre-diameter brass trumpets are sounded, the celebratory scene becomes a sight to behold.
The Hemis Festival is celebrated in honour of the sage, Padmasambhava also known as Guru Rimpoche.
Hemis is well known for the Hemis monastery that was established in 1672 AD by king Sengge Namgyal.
Hemis Monastery is a Himalayan Buddhist monastery (gompa) of the Drukpa Lineage, in Hemis, Ladakh, India.
The festival's major draw is the heavenly dance, also known as the Cham dance. The Tibetan Buddhist community performs a distinctive act known as the Cham dance. The vibrant and spectacular Cham dance performance is sometimes referred to as the God Dance.
One of the best experiences in Ladakh is taking part in the festival and watching the energetic dance displays. The only people who conduct the Cham dance are monks and lamas since, unlike other mythological dances, it also has a theological significance. Both the dancers and the audience can meditate while watching the cham dance.
Aside from it, the vibrant booths offering food and other trinkets and the exhibition of Thangkas (Buddhist artworks) give this grand celebration even more attraction.
The primary attractions that make Hemis in Ladakh famous are here.
Dance Chham :-One of the festival's main highlights is the amazing masked dances, which show how good triumphs over evil. You should see them while you're there.
Satan Dances :-These dances are also shown and play a significant role in the festival.
Handicrafts :- All tourists enjoy and shop at the handicraft exhibition that the locals organise.
Chang :- You must sample this native beverage provided at the festival!
During the two-day Hemis Festival celebration in Ladakh, observe the valleys, mountains, and rivers thrive to the sounds of trumpets, cymbals, and drums. The Hemis Monastery hosts the Hemis Festival. The monastery has been under Namgyal's control for 300 years.
The Hemis Monastery Festival starts early in the morning, with devotees praying before a painting of the Guru and music being played throughout the ritual. The Cham, a masked dance performance, draws the most people to the festival. It is a slow dance that shows the battle between good and evil, in which the former prevails. The spectacle is breathtaking, and the Lamas' vibrant attire energises the entire gathering.
In addition, a fair featuring Tibetan trinkets is held, and the festival is the greatest opportunity to observe individuals dressed in their finest traditional garb. Stunning to behold!
Let's get to the topic without spending too much time circling the waggons. The two-day Hemis festival is held. Every crevice in Ladakh will have been soaked in celebration for these two days. The happy event overtakes the entire valley. You will be able to view Tibetan culture in all its bright colours as far as your eyesight allows.
These two days are full of various activities, ceremonies, and festivities because they are large celebrations. People are revved up and completely submerged in joy.
Ladakh begins to sparkle with the glitz of its cultural festival as morning breaks. To commemorate Lord Padmasambhava's birthday, men, women, children, teenagers, young adults, and seniors congregate in the expansive courtyard of the Hemis monastery. The head priests execute a few rituals to start the day. In the courtyard, they erect a sizable figure of Lord Padmasambhava and lavishly decorate it.
People solemnly worship Lord Padmasambhava and ask for his blessings. This rite calls for various supplies, including uncooked rice and holy water. The celebration has lived through the thumping "Cham dance" dance performance. The performers assemble around the courtyard's main flagpole and joyfully jive. Up until dusk announces its presence, the party is unabated.
You cannot look away from this festivity for even a brief minute. As soon as you step foot in the courtyard of the Hemis monastery, turn on your camera.
People in Ladakh are so passionate during the Hemis festival that they don't want to quit. They can't sleep due to the celebratory atmosphere. Each person's face breaks out in a broad smile as the first sunbeam appears. They continue their throbbing celebration from where they left off the night before.
There is hardly any ritual on day two. Today should be spent in joy, celebration, and unrestrained dancing. People entertain viewers with quick movements while donning traditional attire such as long robes, headgear, and mystic masks. Additionally, various musical instruments and melodic songs enhance the charm of the Cham dance. The music has a slow introduction and picks up speed gradually.
On the second day of the Hemis festival, you may see the Cham dance in all its splendour. We guarantee that it is so compelling that you won't be able to stop yourself from swaying and tapping your feet to the rhythm of captivating music. The monastery jumps to the dancers' beats as soon as they take the stage.People ultimately dismantle the frail demon figures made of dough, especially for the dance. The black hat dancers destroy the sculptures and then scatter the fragments in four directions. It may appear amusing, but it is a rite performed during the Hemis festival.
The largest and oldest monastery in Ladakh is Hemis. There are several Buddhist statues there.
The 12-metre-long greatest Thangka (holy silk painting) is housed in the Hemis monastery
The Hemis festival should ideally celebrate faith, dedication, culture, camaraderie, and zeal
A vast selection of delectable Buddhist food adds to the joy of the Hemis festival
Lord Padmasambhava's birth
The anniversary is commemorated with the Hemis festival. People can experience improving health and spiritual power due to the celebration
The Hemis Festival is distinct in its own right due to its customary ceremonies, traditional attire, and cultural activities
Every twelve years, when the "Tibetan Year of the Monkey" is again under Tibetan astrology, the magnificent Hemis festival is celebrated
Every Cham dance has a different subject that depends upon one of their mythological tales