Festivals Of Sikkim
Sikkim's famous mask dances provide a spectacle, perhaps nowhere to be experienced in the entire world. Performed by lamas in the Gompa courtyard to celebrate religious festivals, these dances demonstrate perfect foot work and grace.Costumed Lamas with gaily painted masks, ceremonial swords and sparkling jewels, leap and swing to the rhythm of resounding drums, trumpeting of horns and chanting of monks.
Buddhist Festivals
Phang Labsol End August
At this festival the snowy range of Kanchendzonga is worshipped for its unifying powers. This festival also marks the signing of the treaty of brotherhood between the Lepchas and Bhutias. The local deities were invoked to witness the historic occasion. The guardian deity is portrayed by a masked Lama dancer as a fiery red-faced deity wearing a crown of five skulls and riding a snow-lion, a truly colourful spectacle indeed.
Bum chu January February
Bum - means "Pot or Vase" Chu - means "Water. The pot containing the Holy water is opened by the Lamas of the monastery. The level of water in the pot tells of things to come in the forthcoming year. If the water is to the brim, it prophesies bloodshed and disturbances and if the pot is almost dry it signifies famine. However, if it is half full it foretells a year in which peace and prosperity will reign. A part of the holy water is distributed amongst the participants and then the pot is replenished with river water and sealed at the end of the festival to be opened only in the next Bumchu.
Lhabab Dhuechen
This festival symbolises the descent of Lord Buddha from the heavens. Lha - means "Heaven" Bab - means "Descent". Legend has it that when Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment, through his spiritual powers he got to know of the whereabouts of his mother and at the age of forty one ascended to the heavens along with thousands of his followers. He stayed in heaven for three months where he preached to his mother but other celestial. Maugalyayana, Buddha's disciple who was on earth as his representative and who also possessed miraculous powers went up to heaven to ask the Lord to return back to the earth. The gods were unwilling to let Lord Buddha return to earth so Maugalyanana suggested that the celestial beings could come to earth instead to attend his preachings. So Lord Buddha decided to come back to earth at a place called Sankasya along a triple ladder that was prepared especially for the occasion by Viswakarma, the God of Machines. This festival hence celebrates this legend of the Lord Buddha.
Saga Dawa End of May or early June
Saga Dawa is a festival that celebrates and marks the various stages in Buddha's life, namely his birth, his enlightenment and finally his nirvana.
Phang Lhabsol
Phang Lhabsol is a festival unique to Sikkim. It is celebrated to offer thanks to Mount Kanchendzonga, the guardian deity of Sikkim and to Yabdu the supreme commander.
Kagyat Dance
Fairs & Festivals of SikkimKagyat dance is performed every 28th and 29th day of the Tibetan calendar. The solemn nature of the dances is interspersed with comic relief provided by the jesters.
Kalchakra Puja
A mention of the two bodies of Buddhism, Hinayana and Mahayana has been made at the beginning of this chapter. To attain Nirvana or Enlightenment and freedom from suffering one of the paths offered is Tantrayana which emphasizes the Tantric or mystic aspect of Buddhism involving complex and esoteric rituals.
Guru Rimpoche's Trungkar Tshechu
On this day, Sikkimese Buddhist pay homage to the master who first blessed Sikkim as holy land, Guru Rimpoche. The master is believed to have firmly establish Buddhism in Sikkim and introduce his form of Tantric Buddhism to the Himalayas after vanquishing ‘demons’ obstructing the growth of dharma in Tibet. The day commemorates his victory over these demons and the devout believe that virtues accrued by recitation of mantras on this day are two-fold.
Losar
The Tibetan New Year is shared also by the Sikkimese and marked with lot of gaiety and festivity. It falls normally in the month of February.The Tibetan youth take to the streets on the day performing the Yak dance and throwing sampa as a way of greeting and welcoming the new year with shouts of "Tashi Delek". The Tibetan community exerts itself in the more than week long festivity with their brocades, jewelry, songs, dances and picnics.
