Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: Ladakh is gearing up for the birthday celebration of His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, the spiritual head of the 1000-year-old Drukpa Order based in the Himalayas.
The event coincides with the Winter Hemis Festival, one of the most popular Buddhist festivals in Ladakh and will be attended by more than 80,000 people despite freezing weather.
The birthday celebration of His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa will commence tomorrow and will conclude on February 22. The celebration will include a public teaching on “The Skills of Living a Successful and Happy Life” and a guided meditation program on “Defining Wisdom”. Following this, the Winter Hemis Festival will take place from February 23 to 28, where followers and friends of the Drukpa will pray for peace, happiness and harmony.
The Winter Hemis Festival includes joint prayers and dharma dances to ward off obstacles and clear the path for a better year ahead. The locals will celebrate by showcasing their rich culture along with the rhythmic sounds of cymbals, drums and trumpets.
The Hemis Monastery is the seat of the Drukpa Order and one of the largest and most important Buddhist Monasteries in the world. The Winter Hemis Festival is a unique experience for people visiting Ladakh during this time of the year.
The participants will have a first-hand experience of spiritual devotion and determination seeing a huge crowd gathering in the open, praying and meditating together with one pointed motivation, wishing the world to be a better place.
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