The Incredible Sight of Ladakh during Hemis Festival

[Gets Holidays]

Perched at an extremely high altitude, separated from the hustle bustle of city life and adorned by azure lakes and rocky mountains, Ladakh is a calm quaint land of ancient mountain culture. This arid hill station which remains almost isolated throughout the year gets occupied by worldwide tourists with the advent of Hemis Festival, the biggest and most famous religious festivals of Ladakh. This colorful two day affair is welcomed with warmth and vibrancy by locals and tourists. The celebration marks the birth anniversary of spiritual leader Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibet Tantric Buddhism. The whole of Ladakh await the celebration to begin at the Hemis Monastery that transports people to a world of enticing beauty and religious grandeur.

The festival opens to a sight of new things that result in a lifetime experience for those who witness it. The otherwise silent Lamas become highly active and give mind-blowing dance performances. In the burgundy mustard yellow attires they narrate ancient mythological stories and people gather to witness the eye-catching performance. The ideal spectacle is provided by masked performers who put on horns, colorful ribbons and brocade clothes. Their shimmering attires shine under the bright sun and the air of Ladakh gets entirely blanketed by fervor and happiness. The music starts on a slow note and quickly picks up the pace as the narrative becomes intense and interesting. At the climax the leader of the Black Hat Dance kills down the devils idols in battle victory. The message is one that is universal and eternal- good prevails over evil. The execution of this eternal truth through music and masked dance performance takes breathe away. During the celebration prayer offerings are placed around a seat covered in fancy silk and gemstones.

The Hemis Monastery houses idols engraved with precious and semi precious stones and the biggest Thangka in Ladakh. Numerous souvenir stalls set up during the festival display marvelous pieces of Ladakhi handicrafts. Wall hangings, bright color shawls, hand-woven rugs, pottery, trinkets, wall hangings and bags leave one spoilt for choices. During the Gompa festival, small Tibetan restaurants of the region serve steaming lip-smacking authentic Tibetan cuisine. Bowl full of rice, noodles, Thukpa and Momos are a perfect match to the chilly atmosphere.

Ladakh is beautiful all year through and no doesn’t need any specific reason to visit the place. The summer months of the splendid landscape is absolutely pleasant, winters offer a heavenly sight of snow covered mountains and frozen lakes and monsoons with mild rainfall set the air of romance. The Hemis monastery in the upper Himalayas is a beautiful haven bordered by mustard yellow paddies and austere hills. Monasteries in Ladakh are a splendid combination of Indian, Tibetan and Chinese culture. To experience this rich amalgamated culture within the heartland of India one must visit Ladakh during the Hemis Festival. It stills their heart away by taking them to a colorful world of mythology and spirituality.