The monastic festivals provide the average Ladakhi with the spice of life. No other festival can match them in religious and entertainment value.

Monastic festivals are held to commemorate the founding of a monastery, the birthday of its patron saint or major events in the evolution of Tibetan Buddhism. Thousand of people turn out in their colourful best, making every festival a carnival of colours.

Experience the power of 'Chhams'
Chhams, a highly choreographed sacred dance-drama, is the core even of every monastic festival. A select group of resident lamas, in brightly patterned brocade robes, perform these dances in the courtyard of the monastery. All of them wear masks which represent various divinities found in the 'Gon Khang' - the room dedicated to the guardian divinities in every major monastery. Some may even represent characters from historical episodes of Tibetan fables.

The lamas, holding ritual objects in their hands, step around the central flagpole of the monastic courtyard in solemn dance and mime, accompanied by the crash of cymbals, the boom of drums, the melodious sound of the 'Shawm', and the deep resonance of twelve-foot horns.

The beginning
Every dance begins with 'Ser Kyem', an invocation - by offerings of sacred water and food - to the gods and the guardians of the four quarters to witness the 'Chhams'.

The interludes
In between the more somber dances, relief is provided by performers in the guise of skeletons who perform comic and acrobatic feats.

And at last, the end of evil
As the 'Chhams' approaches climax, the votive offering - a grotesque human figure made of dough is ritually dismembered. This is traditionally done by 'Jha Nak', leader of the Black Hat dancers. He then scatters the pieces in the four cardinal directions. This act has many interpretations: cleansing of the soul, the dissolution of the human body after death, or a re-enactment of the assassination of the Tibetan apostate king Land-dar-ma by a Buddhist monk in AD 842.

Of this life and the next
The rites and ceremonies of the festival are conducted by the 'Rimpoche' or Head Lama incarnate of the monastery. He occupies a high throne in the centre of the verandah at one side of the rectangular courtyard. Other Lamas sit on either side of the throne on carpet-covered straw mattresses, according to their hierarchy.

The Lamas recite mantras associated with various episodes of 'Chhams' under the 'Rimpoche's direction, thus creating the right ambience for devotees to imbibe the religious significance of the dances. The appearance of the masked dancers serves to familiarise the devotees with the kind of divinities they are to encounter during the 49-day, 'Bardo' (or transit) period between death and rebirth in one of the six forms of existence depending upon one's Karma (deeds).

LADAKH MONASTIC FESTIVALS
CALENDER ( 2006-2008)

FESTIVALS	2006	2007	2008
Spituk Gustor (Spituk gompa, near Leh)	Jan 27, 28	Jan 17, 18	Jan 6,7
Dosmoche Leh, Likir (Likir gompa) & Diskit (Nubra Valley)	Feb 26, 27	Feb 15, 16	Feb 4,5
Stok Guru Tse- Chu March Feb Feb (Stok gompa)	March 8, 9	Feb 25, 26	Feb 15, 16
Matho Nagrang (Matho gompa)	March 14, 15	March 3, 4	Feb 20, 21
Buddha Purnima Saka Dawa (All over Ladakh)	June 11	May 31	June 18
Hemis Tse-Chu (Hemis gompa)	July 6. 7	June 25, 26	July 12, 13
Yuru Kabgyat (Lamayuru gompa)	July 12, 13	July 2, 3	July 20, 21
Phyang Tsedup (Phyang gompa, near Leh)	July 27, 28	July 16, 17	Aug 3, 4
Tak Ttok Tse-Chu (Dakthok gompa, near Hemis)	Aug 4, 5	Jul 24, 25	Aug 11, 12

Source, J & K Tourism.