~A colourful two day affair at Hemis Monastery promises to leave visitors awe-inspired and will be a precursor to the grand NAROPA festival – also known as the KumbhMela of the Himalayas – later this year~
New Delhi, 5th July 2016: Jammu & Kashmir’s Ladakh region is all set to celebrate its famous Hemis festival starting July 14 this year. The annual event is one of the biggest cultural and religious events in region and become an integral part of the summer calendar of locals and tourists alike. Held at the 400 year old, sacred Hemis Monastery of Drukpa Lineage, the event will be presided by His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, spiritual representative of His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa (the spiritual head of the Drukpa Lineage); Smt Mehbooba Mufti, Chief Minister of J&K, will inaugurate the festivities this year.
The two day affair, commemorates the birth of Guru Padmasambhava, a renowned 8th century Indian saint who was instrumental in establishing Vajrayana Buddhism throughout the Himalayan belt. Spiritual teachers, monks, nuns, devotees and tourists from across the globe will gather to witness these mesmerizing festivities that include the traditional mask dance performances by monks of the Drukpa Order, portraying the triumph of good over evil.
The occasion is particularly auspicious this year, with the Buddhist and Gregorian calendars coinciding to match the exact birthdate of Guru Padmasambhava – a highly blessed event that takes place only once in 12 years. In honour of this, a 400 years old embroidered silk thangka (religious tapestry) depicting Guru Padmasambhava will be unfurled during the festival. The tapestry has a deep spiritual resonance and is believed to provide ‘liberation through sight’ from karmic debt to all those who witness it.
The Hemis Festival this year, will also flag off the official countdown to the grand Naropa Festival proposed to be held in September. The Naropa Festival which honours the birth anniversary of the 11th century Indian Saint Naropa, is the biggest spiritual gathering in the region and happens only once in 12 years. It is popularly regarded as the ‘Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas’. This year will mark 1000 years of the holy saint’s birth anniversary. His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, Chairman of the Druk Padma Karpo School (fondly known as “Rancho’s School,” because of its landmark appearance in the Bollywood blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’) will announce the dates for the grand Naropa Festival 2016.
About Drukpa Lineage:
The Drukpa Lineage (the “Dragon Lineage”) is an integral part of Himalayan and Central Asian legacy and culture. Dating back to the Indian scholar-saint Naropa, the Drukpa Lineage is woven throughout the history of Buddhism, India, the Himalayas and Central Asia. Its strategic location along the some of the world’s most important historic trading routes has nurtured great civilizations throughout the region including in modern day India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, China, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Vietnam.Today it has over 1000 monasteries in the region and state of Bhutan, honours the Drukpa Lineage as its state religion.
The Lineage follows the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, grounded in the philosophy of “enlightenment for the benefit of others.” Drukpa practices are based on the Tantrayana teachings passed down from the great Indian saint Naropa. The lineage acquired the name of “Drukpa” in the 12th century when DrogonTsangpaGyare, a reincarnation of Lord Avalokiteshvara- the ‘great lord of human compassion’, saw nine dragons fly up into the sky from the ground of Namdruk monastery. The present Gyalwang Drukpa is the twelfth incarnation of the founder of the Drukpa Lineage, whose motto of service before self and their zeal to convert compassion into action to tackle the world’s challenges has earned the lineage a robust global following.
About Hemis Monastery:
Tucked in a hidden valley, about 45 kilometres from Leh, the Hemis Monastery is a 400 year old monastery of the Drukpa Order, which has become a focal point of Ladakhi tourism in the recent years. Built in the 17th century by StaktsangRaspa, a student of the fifth Gyalwang Drukpa, the monastery is home to some of the most prized relics of the Drukpa Order which are housed in the Hemis Museum.