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Galdan Namchot and Losar
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Ladakh
in Jammu and Kashmir is mainly famous for the monastic
festivals, a number of which takes place throughout
the year. These monastic festivals are essentially
dance dramas performed by the monks who dress up colorfully
in robes and masks and perform the different aspects
of religion in a festive manner. One such festival
of a socio religious scale is the Galdan Namchot in
Ladakh. The actual New Year celebrations begin with
Namchot, a socio-religious event celebrated to observe
the birthday and the Buddha-hood of Tsongkha-pa, the
Tibetan saint-scholar and founder of the Geluk-pa school
of Tibetan Buddhism in the 14th century.
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Galdan
Namchat Festival is being celebrated on 4th Dec
this year with a grand fervor by the people in
Ladakh. All the monasteries as well as other
public and residential buildings are lit up to
present a beautiful sight across Ladakh.New
clothes and jewelry are also made for wearing
on the New Year Day.From
this auspicious day the New Year celebrations continue
through the festival
of Losar and conclude with that of Leh Dosmoche, the
great winter festival held approximately two weeks after
Losar.During
Namchot it is customary in every home to prepare various
varieties of the traditional Ladakhi ‘thukpa’ a
vegetable and mutton noodle soup, and serve it to visiting
friends and relatives. Afterwards,
elders of the family receive customary
visitors who come to greet them
with presents and ‘Khatak’ a ceremonial scarf.
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Leh
and its adjoining villages wear a carnival look as people
come out in their colorful best. It is customary for the
Muslims and Christians in Leh to call on their Buddhist
friends carrying presents and Khatak to greet them on the
occasion. The New Year festivities conclude with the 'Metho'
ceremony, when a procession of people carrying flaming
torches pass through the bazaars and lanes, chanting prayers
to chase away evil spirits and hungry ghosts believed to
have accumulated during the year as a result of bad Karma
(deeds)
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