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Saraswati-Puja
This festival falls in the month of January and honors the Hindu Goddess of
knowledge "Saraswati". School children place their study books in front of the
statue and seek blessings for doing well in their studies.
Magh-Sakranti
This festival takes place in mid January and marks the beginning of the
lengthening of days. Fairs are held on the banks of the confluence of rivers. It
is an occasion for villagers to gather, meet each other and make purchases.
Maha Shivratri
Observed in the month of February, this festival commemorates the marriage of
the Hindu God Shiva to Parvati. In temples dedicated to Shiva, day and night
long prayers are held. Devotees of the God keep a fast on this day. The Shiva
Lingam is worshipped by washing it with milk, curd and honey. Offerings of bael
leaves are also made to the Lingam.
Holi
Although a festival that is observed mainly in the Hindi speaking areas of
India, this festival is gaining popularity in Sikkim too. People visit homes of
friends and relatives and smear each other with color. Holi falls in the month
of March and marks the advent of the spring season. This festival essentially
celebrates the killing of the demoness Holika by Lord Krishna.
Chaite Dasain or Ramnavami
Observed to commemorate the birth of the Hindu God Rama, this festival is
celebrated by holding Melas or fares at various places. One place where a small
Mela is held during this occasion is Tendong when villagers from surrounding
areas undertake the arduous trek up to the peak. For Businessmen Ramnavami marks
the end of the financial year during which the books of accounts are closed.
Raksha Bandhan
Another festival that has its origins in the Hindu heartland of India, it is
becoming quite popular with the people of Sikkim. Sisters tie holy threads to
the wrists of their brothers and wish for their long and prosperous life.
Janamastami
This festival commemorates the birthday of Lord Krishna. temples are decorated
with colorful lights and prayers are held in various temples across the state.
The birth of Lord Krishna took place in the mid-night of janamastami.
Vishwa Karma Puja
This festival takes place on 17th September every year and honors Vishwa
Karma-The God of Machines. Statues of this diety are put up in temporary sheds
called pandals and worshipped especially by those who are involved in handling
machines like drivers and mechanics.
Rangey Mela
A little known festival, it is unique to Namchi. Held in the month of July, an
effigy of Rangey Bhoot (ghost) is burnt at Namchi Bazaar, a day before the Mela.
Dassain
This fortnight long festival usually falls in the month of October. Also known
as Durga Puja, this festival symbolizes the victory of the Hindu Goddess Durga
over the forces of the evil. On the first day barley seeds are sown in the soil
and their growth a few inches foretells a good harvest. The next important day,
a week later is Fulpati meaning "the day of flowers". Maha Astami and Kala Ratri
follow Fulpati. The next day is Navami i.e the ninth day. The 10th day of the
festival is known as Vijay Dashmi and also marks the victory of Lord Rama over
Ravana. During this day people smear their foreheads with colored rice and the
barley sprouts which were sown on te first day of Dasain are picked and placed
over the ears.
Tihar
Tihar is the "Festival of Lights" and symbolizes the return of Lord Rama to his
hometown from exile after victory over Ravana and covers a period of five days.
The festival honors certain animals on successive days. The first day known as "Kak
Tihar" is dedicated to crows and they are offered rice and some if caught are
garlanded. On second day, which is known as "Kukkur Tihar", dogs are garlanded.
On the third day, the cows are honored with garlands and their horns are painted
in bright colors. It is the turn of the bullocks on the fourth day. Deepawali,
which falls on the third day, is considered to be the most important day when
Goddess Lakshmi comes visiting every home which is lit bright with candles and
electric lights.
The fifth day is also known as Bhai Tika in which brothers visit the homes of
their sisters and they apply tikas vermillion to each others foreheads. It is
also an occassion of exchanging gifts. During Tihar, traditional carols called
Bhailo and Deusi are sung.
Sakewa
The Rai community in Sikkim celebrate Sakewa to invoke the blessings of Goddess
Chandi for an abundant crop and favorable weather. Sakewa falls on baisakh
purnay (fifteenth day of the fifth month of Nepali calendar) coinciding with the
sowing season. Sakewa can therefore also be interpreted as Bhoomi puja. The
Mangpa (priest) performs the prayer. One person beats the hongken (drum) loudly.
The mangpa then dances to the single drum beat. The silis, as the dance is
called consists of hundred and eight characters of various animals and birds.
After the performance of the puja, the worshippers partake to wachipa which is a
dish made of chicken feathers.
The Rais also observe Sakewa in their homes. Three lungs (stones) are installed
in the prayer room to make a furnace called Samkha. The lungs have unique names:
Suptulung, Taralung and Shakhalung. While invoking the blessings of the goddess,
a fire is lighted in the furnace and the names of the forefathers are called out
aloud while offering food, millet, ginger and water. The pot used for the water
is called Wabuk or Salawa. |
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Saga Dawa
This is the "Triple Blessed Festival" and is considered as the holiest of the
holy Buddhist festivals. On this day, in different years of his life, Lord
Buddha took birth, achieved enlightenment and passed away attaining Nirvana;
three important events celebrated in the festival of Saga Dawa. This festival is
held on the full moon of 4th month of the Buddhist Calendar around the end of
may and early June.
Drukpa Tsheshi
This festival celebrates Buddha's first preaching of the four Noble
Truths to his first five disciples. in a deer park at Sarnath. The first is the
Noble Truth of suffering, the second is the truth of the origin of suffering
Karma and Delusion and their causes, the third is the cessation of the suffering
or the attainment of Nirvana and the fourth is the truth of the Eight Fold Path
leading to Nirvana. This festival is held on the 4th day of the 6th month of the
Buddhist calendar around August. At Gangtok, this festival is marked by prayers
at the Deer park and at a secluded place called Muguthang in extreme North
Sikkim, this festival is celebrated holding a Yak race.
Guru Rinpoche's Trungkar Tsechu
This birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, is
celebrated in Sikkim with great pomp. A procession, which originates from the
Chorten, carrying the statue of Guru is taken out around the town of Gangtok. In
the evening dramas and concerts depicting the life of the Guru are held.
Pang Lhabsol
This festival is quite unique to Sikkim. It was popularised by the third Chogyal
of Sikkim, Chakdor Namgyal. In this festival the snowy range of Kachendzonga is
worshipped for its unifying powers. This festival marks the signing of the
treaty of brotherhood between the Lepchas and bhutias by Khye Bumsa and
Thikung-Tek when the local deities were invoked to witness the occasion. Infact
Pang means witness. On this day, the guardian deity is portrayed by masked Lama
dancers as a fiery red-faced deity with a crown of five skulls, riding a snow
lion. To lighten the mood of the spectators, jesters called "Atchars" play
antics during the Chaams. This festival is held on the 15th day of the 7th month
around the end os August.
Lhabab Dhuechen
This festival symbolizes the Descent of Buddha from the heaven of the thirty
Gods after visiting his mother. Duechen means "festival", Lha means "heaven" and
Bab means "descent".
Losoong and the Chaams (Lama Dances)
Losoong marks the end of the harvest season and also the end of the tenth month
of the Tibetan year. As it falls in the eleventh month of the Tibetan calendar
it is not the real New Year in the sense of the word. Also known as Sonam Lossar,
it is in fact an agriculture New Year when rice and grains are plentiful and the
weather is moderate in sharp contrast to the actual new year lossar which falls
in a lean season and when it is extremely cold.
Lossar
It is the Tibetan New Year also known as Gyalpo Lossar, and is marked with lot
of gaiety and festivity. It falls normally in the month of february. At
Pemayangste, Chaams are held two days before the lossar. These Chaams are
similar to the one held during Losoong.
Bumchu
This festival is held at the monastery at Tashiding in the month of January or
February. During the 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 forthcoming year. If the water is to the brim, it prophesizes bloodshed
and disturbances. If the pot is almost dry, it signifies famine and if it is
half-full, it foretells a year in which peace and prosperity will prevail. Bum
in fact means "pot or vase" and chu means "water". A part of the holy water is
distributed amongst the gathering of devotees and the pot is replenished with
river water and sealed at the end of the festival to be opened only in the next
Bumchu.
The Kalchakra Puja
To attain Nirvana or Enlightenment and Freedom from suffering, one of the paths
offered is Tantrayana which emphasizes the Tantric or mystic aspect of Buddhism
involving complex and esoteric rituals. Anutara Yoga Tantra or the Supreme
Tantra is one of the class of Tantrayana which combines male tantras and female
tantras out of which Kalchakra is one of the deities. The rituals and
meditations performed to Kalchakra with the ultimate aim of attaining Nirvana or
Buddhahood is known as Kalchakra Puja. His Holiness The Dalai Lama is presently
the ultimate authority i teachings of Kalchakra Puja which His Holiness performs
to initiate the disciples. is Holiness holds the kalchakra Mass Initiation Puja
usually once in three years.
Kalchakra deity is usually represented in union with his female consort
Viswamata. The body of Kalchakra is blue in color and has multiple necks,
shoulders and faces. The many hands of Kalchakra hold various implements.
Viswamata, the consort of Kalchakra, has a yellow coloured body, four faces and
eight hands.
Like in other Buddhist rituals, the Kalchakra Puja also centers around the
Mandala which consists of the rites, offerings and the deities that concern the
Puja.
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