Revision as of 17:57, 2 December 2013

Thiksey

Thiksey Gustor

Thiksey Gustor- A two day ritual studded festival celebrated

By Stanzin Angmo, Saturday, November 23, 2013

Reach Ladakh

Thiksey gustor

Thiksey: The two day annual religious ceremony of Thiksey monastery called the Thiksey Gustor, is a ritual treat where you will witness various mask dance by the monks, the oracle, the people with traditional wears and many more. The Thiksay Monastery one of the most beautiful monastery which is said to resemble Potala Palace, is of Gelukpa (yellow hat) sect.

Thiksey Gustor is held on the 17th, 18th and 19th day of the 9th month of Tibetan lunar calendar. The word “Gustor” literally means ‘sacrificing the 29th date’ and is a traditional ceremony conducted in the monasteries of Gelukpa order of Tibetan Buddhism. This ritual is also performed in two more monasteries of Ladakh at different times of the year, which are Spituk and Karsha Zanskar.

On the 20th and the 21st November when this grand ritual was performed for the year, hundreds of people gathered from all over Ladakh and though winter has already cast its spell, several tourists also came to witness the grand performance. The first day started with prayers followed by Chams (mask dance) performed by the monks of the same monastery. Some of the main features of the two day ritual performance, besides Chams, include the oracle, and the dismembered and dispersal of the Storma (Sacrificial Cake) by the leader of the Black hat dancers during the ceremony called “Argham” or “killing”. This marks the end of the ceremony and symbolises the destruction of all form of evil. On the occasion the assassination of the Tibetan apostate King Lang-Darma, by a Buddhist monk in the mid 9th century is also enacted.

On the occasion the 14th Stakna Rinpoche Jigmet Mingyur Thinley Dorjey and many other invited guests were also present. Talking about the the Gustor Gen Lobzang Stanzin said, “This ritual of Gustor is the most important in the Thiksey Monastery. It starts with prayers by the monks which begin in the morning followed by mask dance which is opened by the mask dance called ‘Hashang Hatuk’ (Hashang and his six children).” Towards the end of the day a painting symbolising the stronger forces of evil is burnt and the dispersal of the sacrificial cakes ‘Torma’. Some of the mask worn by the dancers represents the guardian divinities (harmapalas) of the Buddhist pantheon, and the patron deities of the Geluk-pa order.

Besides the rituals in the monastery, another attraction during a gathering like this, especially in the old times used to be the trade fair near the monastery where earlier the traders from all over Ladakh used to come with their good to batter it with others. Though today we can only see few tents where they serve little variety of food and youngsters playing games like Tambola etc.