The event, which takes place every year, is a winter celebration that strives to strengthen relationships between believers. One of the main draws of the festival is the "Chams" mask dance. Monks dressed in vibrant attire conduct mesmerising dances that represent several gods, like Paldan Lhamo, Mahakala, etc.
On days 28 and 29 of the 11th Tibetan lunar month, this holiday is celebrated. "Gustor" means "Sacrifice of the 29th Day" in the native tongue. The celebration honours the triumph of right over wrong. At the monastery, prayers start seven days before the feast. The calm Spituk Monastery fills up with tourists from all around the world during the Spituk Gustor festival.
Spituk Gustor Festival's History
Even though the origins of the Spituk Gustor Festival may be obscure, it is believed that Buddhism reached its pinnacle in India in the year 200 BC, under The Great King Ashoka. When Lha Lama Changchub Od, the eldest brother of Od-de, came on a Maryul visit in the 11th century, he established Spituk Monastery.
Following that, a translator by the name of Lochen Rinchen Zangpo went there and gave it the name "Spituk," which means "Exemplary" in Tibetan. During the second wave of Buddhism in Tibet, Lochen Rinchen Zangpo, also known as Mahaguru, translated Buddhist texts from Sanskrit. He is thought to have constructed a number of monasteries or gompas.
Date, time, and location of the Spituk Gustor Festival in 2023
This two-day annual winter celebration is held in Spituk Monastery, about 8 kilometres from Leh, amid great hoopla and fervour. On days 28 and 29 of the 11th Tibetan lunar month, this holiday is celebrated. Since the eleventh century, people have been celebrating this occasion. Ladakh's Spituk Gastor Festival uplifts the spirits of both locals and tourists, enabling them to cope with the hardships of the long winters.