Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, July 14: The legendary Hemis festival, popularly known as ‘Hemis Tses-Chu’ began today to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the eighth century Indian Guru revered for spreading Tantrayana Buddhism throughout the Himalayas.
The mountainous valley of Hemis echoed with the sweet musical sound and chanting of prayers while the fragrance of burning incenses spread the entire Valley. This year special attraction for devotees was the display of Guru Padmasambhava silken image which occurs once every 12 years. This marvelous image, a patched work of the finest Chinese silk in various colours believed to prepared between 1750-1760 under the guidance of Gyalsras Mipham Tsewang, the royal monk regarded as the third incarnation of the great Dragon yogi Stagtsang Raspa.
Thousands of spectators amidst religious festivity mood thronged the Ladakh’s biggest monastery to witness the spectacular mask dances performed by the monks with the rhythmic beat of religious musical instrument while chanting prayers to bring peace, prosperity and harmony in the society.
The main attraction of the festival is the colourful mask dance by monks of the monastery wearing their best robes with different gestures of hand and legs signifies good prevailing over evils enthralled the spectators.
The first mask dancer were thirteen black hat dancers, followed by sixteen dancer wearing copper gilded masks. Then there was the eight manifestation of Guru Padmasambhava, followed by Guru Padma Vajra.
Great religious personality, Drukpa Thuksey Rinpochey said that keeping the centuries old tradition alive, we celebrate the three days annual festival which is most popular not only in Ladakh but all over the world to pay homage to the Padmasambava who was also considered as second Buddha in Buddhist religion. He also briefly informed about how Padmasambhava was born out of Lotus flower during the eighth century and emphasis to preserve the traditional festival with mass participation to pay respect to the great Padmasambhava. He also mentioned about the upcoming Naro Gyentuk festival in September which occurs every 12 years expecting huge devotees across the world.
On the occasion GoC, 14 corps Lt Gen SK Patyal, Ladakh Affairs Minister Chering Dorje Lakrook, LAHDC Chief Executive Councilor Dr Sonam Dawa, Executive Councilors, Councilors, MLA Nawang Rigzin Jora, Former CEC Rigzin Spalbar, district officers and large number of Indian and foreign tourists were present to witness the festival.
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