Before this Hemis Festival starts, you get day one to acclimatize with the high altitude of Leh. You can utilize your time with the Indus Valley Tour - visiting the different monasteries that dot the place like Thiksey Monastery and Shey Monastery which are beautifully imposing and esoteric. A walk down the local village paths in Leh will also be a wonderful way to spend the evening and gear up for the Hemis Festival the next day.
Day four is all about witnessing the Hemis Festival in Ladakh. The majestic Hemis Gompa, the largest and most important Buddhist monastery in the entire Ladakh is the venue for this festival. The entire day is dedicated for you to experience this spiritual mysticism of the Buddhist religion that is marked by the famous Hemis Dance. Here, the participants wear mysterious masks. These uncanny masks are the most important part of the dance and the festival. Every mask represents a story behind the myth that is being displayed. The music is also grand and thrilling, surrounded by trumpets, drums, and cymbals. The fifth and sixth include visits to the Lamayuru Gompa, Likir and Alchi Gompa, which are day-long excursions from Leh.
The Hemis Festival is dedicated to Lord Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) venerated as the Dance Performance at Hemis Monastery representative reincarnate of Buddha. He is believed to have been born on the 10th day of the fifth month of the Monkey year as predicted by the Buddha Shakyamuni. It is also believed that his life mission is was, and remains, to improve the spiritual condition of all living beings. And so on this day, which comes once in a cycle of 12 years, Hemis observes a major extravaganza in his memory. The observance of these sacred rituals is believed to give spiritual strength and good health. The Hemis festival takes place in the rectangular courtyard in front of the main door of the monastery. The space is wide and open save two raised square platforms, three feet high with a sacred pole in the center. A raised dais with a richly cushioned seat with a finely painted small Tibetan table is placed with the ceremonial items – cups full of holy water, uncooked rice, tormas made of dough and butter and incense sticks. A number of musicians play the traditional music with four pairs of cymbals, large-pan drums, small trumpets and large size wind instruments. Next to them, a small space is assigned for the lamas to sit.
Here is the list of the main highlights that Hemis in Ladakh is famous for!
• Chham Dance: The fantastic masked dances which depict the triumph of good over the bad are one of the main highlight of the festival and you should witness it on your vacation.
• Devil Dances: These dances are also performed and are an eminent part of the festval.
• Handicrafts: The locals organize an exhibition of Handicrafts which all tourists love and shop at.
• Chang: This is a local drink served at the festival which you must try!