To
Sikkim
SIKKIM- Festivals
According to the Buddhist calendar
with approximate months corresponding to the English calendar, the
important festivals are mentioned below :
SAGA DAWA : Full moon on the 4th
month, around end of May & early June
DRUKPA TSESHI : 4TH day of the 6th
month, around August
PANG LHABSOL : 15th day of the 7th
month, around late August – early September
KAGYAT DANCE : 28th & 29th day of 10th
month, around December
LOSOONG : Sikkimese New Year, last
week of December
LOSAR : Tibetan New Year, around
February
DASAIN : Month of Aswin,
September-October
MAGHE SANKRANTI : Month of Magh,
around January
ENCHEY “CHAMS” : 18th & 19th days of
the 11th month, around December-January
RUMTEK “CHAAMS” : Tse-Chu ‘Chaams’-
10th day of the 15th month, around June.
WINTER “ CHAAM” : Gouthor ‘Cham’ – 2
days prior to Losar.
Bumchu Festival (Jan-Feb)
This festival takes place in Tashiding Monastery in west Sikkim, in the
month of January-February . During this festival, the pot containing the
holy water is opened by the lamas of the monastery. The level of water in
the pot foretells the future for the forth coming year. If the water is to
the brim, it prophesizes disturbances. If the pot is almost dry it
indicates famine and a half full pot foretells a year in which peace and
prosperity will prevail. A part of the holy water is distributed among the
participants and then the pot is replenished with river water and sealed
at the end of the festival to be opened only in next Bumchu festival.
Phang Lhabsol (Aug- Sept)
The unique festival of Phang Lhabsol on the eighth day of the seventh
month of the Tibetan calendar venerates Mount. Kanchenjunga as the
Bhutia’s gurdian deity. The festival is celebrated with an impressive
dance-drama at the Tsuklakhang Palace in Gangtok. The lamas invoke Dzonga
(as Mt. Kanchenjunga is known) to protect and look after the people of
Sikkim. The war like dance-drama at the royal chapel is a return to the
resplendent essence of Buddhism.
Lhabab Dhuechen (End of May or Early June)
This festival symbolizes the descent of Lord Buddha from the heaven.
According to legend, Queen Maha Maya, the mother of Lord Buddha, did not
live long, took rebirth in Trayastrimsa or the heaven of the thirty gods.
After attaining enlightenment, Lord Buddha through spiritual powers came
to know about the whereabouts of his mother and at the age of forty one
ascended to heaven along with thousands of his followers. Lord Buddha
stayed in heave for three months during which he devoured sermon to his
mother and other celestial beings Lord Buddha had left behind on eart one
of his disciples, Maugalyayana, as his representative. This disciple and
other devotees of the Lord could not bear the long separation and longed
to hear his preachings. Maugalyayana, who possessed miraculous powers, was
exhorted to go up to the heaven to request the Lord to return back to the
earth. The gods were not willing to let Lord Buddha return to earth but
Maugalyayana suggested that as the earthly beings did not have the powers
to visit heaven, the celestial beings could come to the earth to attend
his preaching. Lord Buddha finally relented and descended to the earth at
a place called Sankasya along a triple ladder that was prepared especially
for the occasion by Viswakarma, the god of Machines.
Drukpa Teshi (July-Aug)
This festival falls on the fourth day of the sixth Tibetan month and
celebrates Buddha’s first preaching of the four ‘Noble Truths’ to his
first five disciples in Deer Park at Sarnath. At Gangtok, it is marked by
prayers at the Deer Park and at a secluded place called Muguthang in
extreme north Sikkim, followed by yak race.
Saga Dawa (May-June)
Buddha was born, attained Buddhahood and achieved nirvana on Saga Dawa
which is celebrated on the full moon day of the fourth month of the
Tibetan calendar, a very holy month for the Sikkimese Buddhist. A long
procession of monks, local people accompanied with holy books winds its
way through the main thoroughfares of Gangtok. Buddhist families gather to
touch their heads on the holy books. Also prayers are held in various
monasteries throughout this month.
Kagyat Dance (Dec)
Kagyat or Black Hat dance is the demonstration of the triumph of good over
evil. It takes place every 28th and 29th day of the tenth month of the
Tibetan calendar at the Tsulakhang, Enchey, Phodrang and Phensang
monasteries.
Dasain (Oct)
It is the most important festival of the Nepalese Hindu and begins on the
first day of the lunar month of Aswain (approximately October). The
Nepalese decorate their houses doors and pillars with banana leaves and
string of marigold flowers and pray for goddess Durga. On the eight day,
or Ashtami, many families sacrifice goats or buffaloes and on the tenth
day or Vijaydashami, they visit the elder family members seeking their
blessing. During the festival, all Nepalese, both young and old smear each
others foreheads with a mixture of rice and curd and string marigold
garlands around their necks.
Losar
The Tibetan New Year, celebrated in inimitable Himalayan fashion with
feasting and merrymaking throughout Sikkim. It generally falls around
first week of February.
Losoong
This Bhutia festival marks the end of the harvest season and also end of
the Tibetan year. Chaams (religious dances) symbolizing the victory of
good over evil are performed at the Tsug Lakhang, Phodong and Rumtek
monasteries. Archery competitions are held amidst much feasting and merry
making.
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