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Buddhists' Winter Festival in Ladakh LEH: Hundreds of Buddhist faithfuls converged at Leh Gompa monastery in Ladakh region on Tuesday to witness the famous mask dances performed by Buddhist monks on the occasion of the winter festival of 'Dos Moche'. Dotted with Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, Ladakh celebrates a whole lot of monastery festivals which draw a large number of tourists every year. 'Dos Moche', which is celebrated at the end of winter to ward off evil powers and natural calamities, is one of the most colourful of its religious festivals. The two-day annual festival celebrated at Leh Gompa, the main monastery of Leh, is a big draw primarily because it used to be sponsored by the royal Namgyal family of Ladakh whose palace still stands as an imposing backdrop. On 'Dos Moche', monks from monasteries from across Ladakh and the local Buddhist people converge in Leh Gompa. The festival began on Tuesday with some spectacular masked dance performances by monks of Spituk monastery of Ladakh. The main ritual of the festival is the burning of a colourful structure, made by thread and other essentials. It is traditionally performed by the monks on the foothills of the Namgyal Palace. This ritual is accompanied by another minor ritual and mask dances in the courtyard. These are alternately performed by monks of various monasteries. The festival also offers the younger lot the opportunity to hang out in the markets, many of which are put up especially for the festival. For many of the elders, the festival is nothing short of a great pilgrimage for which they come from remote areas. -ANI |
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