Festival of Sacred Dances
India | Anno 1995
Saturday, July 29 | Phyang
From all directions, they flock in, the pilgrims. Young and old, everyone wants to be part of this second day of the sixth month in the Tibetan calendar. Just like us, because on this day, the annual festival of Sacred Dances takes place at the Phyang Monastery, about fifteen kilometres west of the capital Leh.
Legend has it that in the 15th century, a monk named Chosje Damma Kunga received the order from the king of Ladakh to establish a monastic community on this hill. The king, feeling remorse for the many cruelties he had committed, wanted to make amends quickly. The buildings themselves had been here since 1515, so the monk could immediately move in.
It's not certain how accurate this story is, as opinions differ on the exact events of that foggy past. However, it is a fact that Chosje developed the Phyang Gompa into an important centre of the Drigung Kagyu, one of the smaller schools within the Kagyu tradition – a monastic order with red hats.
This was a peculiar development because, in Tibet, the Drigungpa were busy losing their prominent position. To the extent that the monastic order still thrives in Ladakh, but plays a subordinate role in its land of origin. If you want to explore its cultural heritage, Ladakh is the place to go. Downstream along the Indus, you can find a few more monasteries of the Drigung. Lamayuru is probably the most famous example.
Today, the monastic order still flourishes in Ladakh, but it plays a subordinate role in its land of origin
Phyang Monastery
About fifty monks have their permanent residence here in Phyang. Like every monastery, it is under the protection of a patron or dharmapala. In this case, the protector is a lady, specifically Achi Choki Dolma Aphyi Choskyi Sdrolma. In Buddhism, it's not common to have a woman overseeing a monastery. Furthermore, this Achi is also a bodhisattva, which is quite unique in Buddhism.
On one side are green terraces, and on the other side is a stone desert, as if an invisible line sharply delineates the border between them
Phyang – Row of chortens |
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Stone desert |
From its hilltop, the Phyang Gompa overlooks the distant surroundings. On one side are green terraces, and on the other side is a stone desert, as if an invisible line sharply delineates the border between them. A row of chortens points like a long, curved finger to the valley, while snow-capped peaks dominate the horizon on the opposite side.
From all directions, they flock in, the pilgrims
Traditional attire |
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The pilgrims flowing in from all directions, climbing the slope towards the white monastery buildings, create a colourful spectacle. They are dressed in their finest, these women wearing long braids, silver and semi-precious stone necklaces, tubular headgear with undulating edges, and shoes with upturned tips.
They are dressed in their finest, these women wearing long braids, silver and semi-precious stone necklaces, tubular headgear with undulating edges, and shoes with upturned tips
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But for us, it's primarily an opportunity to search for peraks. Celebrations like these provide a unique chance to catch a glimpse of these precious family jewels. Peraks are true showpieces, with women using them to display their wealth and social status. In principle, these heirlooms are passed exclusively from the mother to the eldest daughter.
Turquoise always takes centre stage in the adornment of these pieces of jewellery. On an average perak, you'll find many tens to several hundreds of these blue-green semi-precious stones. They are sewn onto a leather substrate, about a meter long, ten to twenty centimetres wide, and covered with red felt. Sometimes, cowrie shells, silver jewellery, or pieces of amber, mother of pearl, coral, or lapis lazuli are also added. The result is a fascinating adornment that can weigh six to eight kilograms and easily be worth four to six thousand US dollars.
What we see is a cobra bending in a protective posture over the woman
Woman with perak |
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A perak is always draped over the head, with the most beautiful and largest turquoise prominently displayed at the forehead. At the back, the substrate reaches down to between the shoulder blades. Two large earflaps of black wool, worn on either side of the head, also belong to it. The symbolism is unmistakable. What we see is a cobra rising in a protective posture above the woman, the neck blown wide in a threatening stance. We are familiar with this iconography from the temple of Baijnath, where a silver cobra in a protective posture rises above the lingam in the sanctuary.
Greeting the gods is the first thing pilgrims do upon arrival. This can be done in the gonkhang, in a way, the creepy room of the gompa. Because here, the demons that protect the monastery are cherished. The gonkhang of Phyang dates back to 1515 and thus belongs to the original buildings of the monastery.
Merely the sight of these images could have disastrous consequences for us, we are told
Gonkhang – Demon masks |
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It will be a blind date, our confrontation with these demons. The main images are hidden behind a black cloth. Their appearance is so terrible that only those who have fully mastered tantrism can fathom the true nature of these images. For simple folk like us, that is, of course, an impossible task. Merely the sight of these images could have disastrous consequences for us, we are told.
Entrance of the dukhang |
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Dukhang or prayer hall |
Then to the dukhang, the large assembly hall. As always, it's dimly lit, with barely any light coming in. This is the place where monks sit on the carpets behind the tables several times a day to recite the sacred texts.
Devout pilgrims shuffle clockwise past the statues
Dukhang with sacred books |
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Pilgrims at a chorten in the dukhang |
The confessional Buddhas adorn one wall. There are exactly thirty-five of them. Devout pilgrims shuffle clockwise past the statues. To cleanse themselves of negative emotions, they chant a mantra each time.
At the back, we recognize the wooden cabinets where the sacred books are kept behind glass. In principle, these should be the 108 books of the Kangyur and the 235 books of the Tengyur. These are, on one hand, the texts containing the teachings of Buddha and, on the other hand, the commentaries – somewhat like the Gospels and the letters of the apostles in Christianity.
Festival of the Sacred Dances
But it's the Sacred Dances that we've come for. They began this morning at half past six in the central courtyard and will last for two full days.
Grandstand with Rinpoche, orchestra, and monks
At this moment, it's bustling with activity. On the eastern side, the monks oversee the spectacle. The musicians, wearing burgundy robes with yellow scarves and tall, bright red headgear, sit on an elevated platform. The leader of the ceremony, the Rinpoche, also sits there with a microphone in front of him. Monks of all ages, from sixty-year-olds to boys of eight or nine, sit on the ground behind and beside them. The other three sides of the unpaved square, three stories high, are occupied by spectators. Down below, local pilgrims sit on the ground, while on the first and second floors, the pale hats of Western tourists dominate.
Don't expect a blood-curdling choreography from these traditional cham dances
Traditional cham dances
Don't expect a blood-curdling choreography from these traditional cham dances. It is, in fact, a subtle pantomime with slow steps, expansive hand gestures, grotesque movements, slow-motion pirouettes that make the robes billow. It's not the gracefulness of the movements that takes centre stage; it's the rituals of meditation, the nature of the hand gestures, the invocation of the gods. All of this occurs accompanied by traditional instruments such as xylophones, drums, trumpets, and longhorns, with cymbals setting the rhythm.
A feast for the eyes it is, the graceful ceremonial attire of the dancing monks – a multicoloured robe with wide sleeves and generous flaps over their regular habits, a triangular cape over the shoulders, an elegant ornament on the chest, shoes with an upward curl at the feet, a ritual object in each hand.
A feast for the eyes it is, the graceful ceremonial attire of the dancing monks
Dharmapalas or protective deities
And then there are those chilling masks, more than twice the size of the monks' heads. However menacing they may appear, these masks represent the Dharmapalas, the protective deities of the monastery. The good guys, in other words. Dancing, the monks take on the roles of gods and demons. The simulated battle they enact on this sandy stage aims to destroy the evil spirits – the bad guys. The eternal struggle of good against evil.
However menacing they may appear, these masks represent the Dharmapalas, the protective deities of the monastery. The good guys, in other words
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Dharmapala |
Because pilgrims may not realize it, but malevolent spirits are constantly trying to make their lives difficult. If a believer seeks a better life after death through reflection and meditation, there is always a malevolent spirit ready to distract them. In such moments, a Dharmapala comes in handy. Because it's not the believers he wants to frighten and drive away with his frightening appearance, it's the evil spirits.
That is precisely the lesson the pilgrims take away as they watch the dancing monks so attentively. For one day, they will enter the bardo, a transitional period of 49 days between their death and their rebirth into a new life. For forty-nine days, they will be constantly distracted, besieged, and tested on the strength of their faith. Thanks to the knowledge they gain here and now, they will immediately recognize each Dharmapala and be reassured. They will not be frightened when he approaches them with his frightening appearance. Because they will realize that he means well, that he is targeting an invisible evil aura that attacks them from behind.
Nothing is spared to make the wooden masks of the Dharmapalas as eerie as possible
Dharmapalas |
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Nothing has been left untouched to make the wooden masks of the Dharmapalas as macabre as possible. The stylized markings on their cheeks and chin have nothing to do with facial hair. They symbolize what remains on their faces after they have voraciously consumed their victims – flesh, blood, and organs.
Prominently on their foreheads, they wear a kind of tiara made of five miniature skulls. Each represents a negative element that the Dharmapala can destroy and transform into a positive element. Thus, he will replace ignorance with wisdom, jealousy with accomplishment, pride with community spirit, attachment with appreciation, and anger with understanding.
With their foolish faces, long dishevelled hair, white moustache, and beard, these must be the clowns on duty
But laughter is also allowed. Even we immediately understand that the three figures now taking the stage come from a different universe. With their foolish faces, long dishevelled hair, white moustache, and beard, these must be the clowns on duty.
Dharmapala |
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Clowns |
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This is also evident from the audience's reaction. Everyone starts laughing even before anything has happened. The tone is set, the audience is in good spirits, the clowns playfully engage with the spectators in the front rows and try to coax voluntary donations from them. Because the Phyang Gompa could certainly use some rupees.
Clown |
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Very young monks |
A quartet of musicians takes a few rounds while playing their instruments – two kyalings or short trumpets, two dungchens or longhorns. Actually, there are six people in this quartet because two extra monks are needed to carry the long dungchens.
Dungchens (longhorns) and kyalings (short trumpets)
Indeed, blowing into such a wind instrument that's several meters long requires quite a bit of force. It is rumoured that you can identify older dungchen players by the front teeth they are missing.
Achi Choki Dolma Aphyi Choskyi Sdrolma, bodhisattva and guardian deity of the monastery (on the left)
It is a breath of fresh air, after witnessing those repulsive Dharmapalas, to see Achi, the guardian deity of this Gompa, take the stage – even if she doesn't immediately conform to our beauty ideals. One of the most significant dances is dedicated to her. There are no skulls on her forehead or meat dribbling around her mouth; Achi has a friendly and open countenance, and they've even given her mask rosy cheeks.
They've given the protective goddess Achi rosy cheeks indeed
Dharmapalas paying homage to Achi |
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Achi |
Achi commands respect from both dancers and the audience. Her message is one of karuna or compassion for all conscious beings, a concept comparable to the Christian virtue of charity. And that message applies to us as well when we soon leave this place where the gods reside.
Jaak Palmans
© 2024 | Version 2024-04-27 14:006:00
