Hemis Festival Ladak

Hemis Fesival is one of the biggest Buddhist festivals in Ladak. It is held every year in the Hemis Monastry which is the biggest Buddhist monastery in Ladak and attracts thousand of devotees across the region. This festival is celebrated on the tenth day of lunar month in the Tibetan calendar and is celebrated in the commemoration of the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. It is a very vibrant and colorful festival, celebrated for two days. During the festival the Lamas gather around the central flagpole in the country yard of the monastry and perform various plays and mask dance. These amazing dances are performed on the beat of the beats of drums, cymbals and long horns.
The symbolic significance of the festival is the victory of good over evil. After the mask dance and sacred play, the leader of the black hat dancers destroys an idol made up of dough and spreads in the four directions. Then a devil dance is also performed. The entire programme of the Hemis festival is preceded by the head lama of the monastery.
Devil dance is an important part of the social entertainment of the Ladakh people. Other major attraction of the Hemis festival includes a colourful fair displaying some of the most exquisite handicrafts of the Ladakh region. However, the most interesting aspect of the Hemis festival is display of the two-storey high “Thanka” which depicts the image of Guru Padmasambhava is displayed for the devotees. It is embroidered with semi-precious stones and pearls.
Hemis festival is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Padma Sambhava or Guru Gyalwang Drukchen Rimpoche, the most honored incarnation of Lord Budha. He is considered as the founder of Tibetan Buddhism who spreaded the message of Lord Buddha in the Ladak region.
This annual festival is the most awaiting festival to all Ladakis. It is the time when all villagers and families to come together and socialize. Men can be seen wearing cummerbands while women are dressed in bright headgear and lots of jewellery. The scene of this festival becomes a beautiful sight to behold. It is an wonderful scope for the traveler to interact with the local people.
This year also the Hemis festival was celebrated with warmth and gaiety on 12th and 13th July. Those who have attended this festival are mesmerized by the incredible spectacle.