Those of you who plan to travel to Ladakh, this month offers the best opportunity to tick this Himalayan beauty off your travel bucket list. In the middle of September, Hemis will host the colourful Naropa festival.
The Naropa Festival is dedicated to celebrating the life of Indian Scholar-Saint Naropa, who lived from 1016 to 1100 and whose teachings are considered to be the core tenets of Buddhism. The festival is likened to the Buddhist Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas. It features some rare cultural events that are believed to grant spiritual liberation upon sight.
The major attraction at Naropa is the unfurling of the largest silk embroidery of Buddha Amitabha. It is called the Thangka, with its height extends for several stories and it’s only displayed to the public during the festival. The flag has the story of Buddha Amitabha embroidered with silk onto it. It is believed that witnessing this event is enough to elevate your soul.
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A holy set of ancient Buddhist relics will also be on display. Naropa festival is also a good chance to explore the tribal culture of Hemis. Thousands of Ladakhis wait under the winter sun, with cymbals and bells in their hands. And the whole air is rendered with their chants and music.
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You can witness the Dragon dance and Tsam dance. When the prayer session of Drupka masters begin, with one of the largest assemblies of people witnessing and watching them, it is an out of the world experience.
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There is a group of biker monks, who ride from Nepal to Ladakh for the Naropa festival. They also spoke and spread great messages to the people about various issues like animal cruelty, gender inequality, environmental pollution and education.
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You should also try the ‘tsampa’, a local dish that the Ladakhis gift each other, enjoying it together as they mingle and exchange greetings.
So, plan for Ladakh this month, and you will get to see an event that happens once in twelve years, the grand Naropa festival.
