Festivals form a
very important role in the lifestyle of Ladakhi people. These festivals provide
people the opportunity to interact with each other, form new ties and renew the
old ones. Most of the annual festivals of the Gompas in Ladakh take place during
winter, which is a relatively idle time for majority of the people. It is time
when the whole village gathers together. Stalls are erected and goods of daily
need and enjoyment are sold. It is also the best time for tourists to visit
Ladakh as it gives them a chance to get a glimpse of the Ladakhi culture and
way of living. Some of the famous festivals of Ladakh are the Buddha Purnima,
Hemis Tse chu festival, Sindhu Darshan festival,Lumayuru festival, Phyang Tse
Dup festival,Thikse festival etc.
These festivals are
a reflection of the rich cultural heritage of the Ladakh. Of all the festivals of Ladakh, Hemis festival is the most
famous.
The spectacular dance-drama, with colorful masks and costumes, offers a
wonderfully authentic experience of Ladakhi culture. It is celebrated in the
June or early July and is dedicated to Guru Pasmasambhava. One specialty about
this festival is that it takes place during the summers unlike other festivals
which takes place during the winters. During this period, tourists from various
places around the globe come for Ladakh
tour to witness the colorful festival. Sindhu Darshan festival is another well known
festival which people celebrates with full enthusiasm. This festival is
celebrated every year as homage to the Indus River and people from nearby
villages and towns flocks in to take part in the celebrations and enjoy
themselves. The festival is kaleidoscope of Indian culture and showcases an
exciting array of performing arts being brought together at an exciting place.
Held on the banks of Indus River, exhibitions, polo matches and archery
competition are the main attractions of the festival. Come to Ladakh and enjoy
the vibrant colors of the festivals of Ladakh.
