Hemis 2022: Here is everything you need to know about this Buddhist festival of Ladakh

One of the prime highlights of the festival is the 'Cham dance', which is performed by some members of the Tibetan Buddhist community.

The prime highlight of the festival is the 'Cham dance' which is performed by the Lamas and Monks (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

One of the biggest and the most important festivals of Ladakh, the Hemis festival celebrates the victory of good over evil. The annual Buddhist festival is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm on the 10th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar, which falls in June or July as per the Gregorian calendar. As such, the festival will be celebrated on July 8 and 9 by the community this year.

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The joyous day marks the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, also called the ‘Second Buddha‘, and is celebrated at Hemis Gompa, a popular monastery in Ladakh. Not only popular among locals, the festival also draws a lot of tourists from across the world.

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For the festival, also known as Tse-Chu, people dress up in traditional ensembles, enjoy local cuisines, and partake in various religious ceremonies.

The festival is celebrated on the 10th day of the fifth month in Tibetan community (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Highlights of the festival

One of the prime highlights of the festival is the ‘Cham dance‘, which is performed by some members of the Tibetan Buddhist community wearing vibrant costumes, masks, and headgears. It is believed that each mask signifies the victory of good over evil.

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‘Chang‘, a local liquor is also enjoyed during the celebrations, and exhibitions are organised that display Thangka paintings along with exquisite handicrafts and gemstones.

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Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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