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The Hemis Festival
Thanks to the Hemis Setchu festival - one of the few held in summer, when
the passes are open - Hemis, 45-km southeast of
Leh
, is the most famous Gompa in
Ladakh
. Every year in mid-July hundreds of foreign visitors join the huge crowds
of locals, dressed up in their finest traditional garb, that flock to
watch the colourful two-day pageant.
An Enormous Thangka
Once every twelve years, the Hemis festival also hosts the ritual
unrolling of a giant Thangka. The Gompa's prize possession, which covers
the entire façade of the building, was embroidered by women whose
hands are now revered as holy relics. Decorated with pearls and precious
stones, it will not now be on show again until 2004. Among the treasures
on permanent display is an exquisite Buddha Shakyamuni, also inlaid with
jewels. The serene faced colossus sits in the Cho-khang chamber at the far
end of the courtyard, along with a couple of richly inlaid silver
Chortens.
The festival draws pilgrims, dressed in their finest costumes, from all
over Ladakh and since 1975, tourists from all over the world. Apart from
being one of the largest in
Ladakh
it is one of the few major religious festival in Ladakh, which is held in
the summer, when the passes are open.
Hemis Gompa
Hemis Gompa is the largest and one of the most important in Ladakh quite
apart from its annual festival. It was founded about 350 years ago by
Stagtshang Rinchen, who was invited to Ladakh by king Singe (also spelt as
Sengge) Namgyal.
One can gain an impression of the extent of the monastery area on the
climb to the so called "Eyrie", a hermitage reached by a one
hour, 3-km climb to 3,900 metres, 1,000 metres higher than Hemis. The 13th
century monastery predates the Hemis Gompa and was built by Syalwa
Gotsang-pa, who meditated in a cave nearby. A small shrine has been built
around the cave, where one can see his foot and hand print in the rock.
Trek
Towards The Gompa
There are about a dozen monks living there the small Gompa serves as a
retreat for many of the lamas from Hemis and it also services many of the
monasteries in Ladakh by printing religious texts using carved wooden
blocks, yak oil and lamp black, and rice paper imported from Burma (also
known as Myanmar). The climb is quite strenuous because of the altitude;
one should not undertake it lightly. While the Ladakhis, who are used to
the scarcity of oxygen, will virtually sprint up the mountainside, a
visitor will need to take quite a few rest breaks.
The thousand square metre courtyard of the Hemis Gmopa is entered from
the northeast. The two prayer flags, in front of the first steps up to the
Du-khang, form the middle point during the festival. A few places are
reserved for guests but it is sometimes possible to buy 'admission
tickets' to the gallery from business minded monks! The day before the
two-day festival is devoted to demonstrations.
The Celebrations & Performances
On the first day of the festival the part, which foreigners can watch,
begins at 10.00 am with ceremonies in the courtyard. After prayers in the
Dukhang the Rimpoche climbs the steps up to the courtyard, accompanied by
musician monks, crosses it and takes his place underneath the gallery.
Shortly afterwards the dances begin which have as their theme the
struggle against evil and infidels and the inevitable victory of good and
of Buddhism. The Padmasambhava dance, which shows the conquest of the
'Ruta' demons, is part of this dance. Other figures, which the dancers
represent, are 'Yama' - the god of death, the black hatted sorcerer guru
Trakpo the vanquisher of all demons, and various other forms of
Padmasambhava. The sequence of the dances changes with time - often to
present a different finale for the benefit of distinguished guests!
The dancing continues to late afternoon, with a brief stop at midday.
Locals and foreigners find time to patronise the many small stands outside
the monastery walls where tea, soup, Tsampa, sweets and other refreshments
are sold. If one wishes to take photographs take account of the position
of the sun when selecting the vantage point. In the crowded conditions
during the dancing it is virtually impossible to leave one's place.
The Tranquil Ambience
If one visits the Gompa outside the festival time one will be impressed
by the stillness of the valley. One will also have the opportunity to see
the various chapels, the opportunity to see the various chapels.
Dukhang & Lakhang
Near the Dukhang is the Lakhang, which is the first one after a small set
of steps from the yard. The doors are placed inwards so that the front
room stands behind, its roof supported with four poles. The sidewalls of
this front room are covered with partially damaged frescoes of the
watchers of the heavenly directions. In the Dukhang, the general assembly
room, the throne of the Rimpoche dominates the sitting places of the
monks.
In
the Lakhang there is a large gilded statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni with
blue hair, surrounded by several silver Chortens, which, as in Spitok
Gompa, are decorated with semi precious stones. There are also beautiful
frescoes in the Lakhang Nyingpa, which is otherwise practically empty. The
hands of the artists who prepared the Gompa's giant Tanka are revered as
holy relics, but Hemis also has many lesser, but still interesting,
Tankas. Hemis also has an excellent library, particularly well-preserved
wall paintings and good Buddha figures.
Rimpoche Or Head Lama
In the second and third storeys, near the other chapels like the
Zankhang, there is the Kharrabgysal, the rooms of the Rimpoche or head
lama. The Rimpoche, Spiritiual overlord of Hemis, is a reincarnation of
the monastery's founder, Stagtshang Raspa, who built Hemis in the first
half of the 17th century, under King Singe Namgyal who also established
the monasteries of Chemre, Hanle and Themisgang.
The last overlord of the Gompa was a reincarnation who, as a
five-year-old child was undergoing training in Tibet when the Chinese
invaded. Since then the Chakzot, a brother of the late king of Ladakh, has
conducted the business of the Gompa. Because of the Chinese takeover of
Tibet the monastery has had no communication with its Rimpoche since the
'60s. During the 1975 festival Drugpa Rimpoche, a 12 -year old youth,
became the new Rimpoche as a new incarnation. He is at the same time the
overlord of the Drugpa Kargyupa, one of the six divisions of the red cap
sect who, before the Chinese invasion of Tibet, possessed influence
practically only in Bhutan and Ladakh. In Ladakh the Stagna and Chemre
monasteries belong to this order, while Spitok belongs to the yellow-cap.
Drugpa Rimpoche currently lives in Darjeeling, where he is completing his
training.
Most of the 500 monks who were once based at Hemis have now moved to
other monasteries throughout Ladakh and the monastery is maintained almost
entirely for tourism. The monastery is growing rich from the proceeds of
its festival.
Road: By car, Hemis is an easy day trip from Leh . By bus, services are only frequent during the festival; at other times a single daily service leaves at 9.00 am and returns at 12.30 pm, leaving no time to have a good look round.
One can however stay here in very basic rooms, the one adjacent to the Gompa; or in the village below in a small tent camp in the woods where one can rent mattresses and blankets. There are several secluded camping sites beside the stream. The monastery also runs a café at the base of the Gompa and another one in the village below.