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When The Heavens Celebrated – Naropa Festival
The blowing of conch shells smote the tranquil silence of the land. A land that nestled high in the mountains like a virtual stairway to heaven. This was the land of high passes that is more commonly known as Ladakh, a place that can be called the roof of India. Ladakh is in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. The mountain air was filled with the staccato beat of drums and peals of divine laughter of young Buddhist monks gamboling in the cold warmed the cockles of the heart. The Naropa Festival Ladakh 2018 was on and in its wake, the mountains had erupted in a blaze of celebration that reverberated throughout the region.
Naropa Festival – The Genesis and History
We have always evinced a keen interest in Buddhism and in the course of our travels covered many places like Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Sikkim, and others though places like Lumbini in Nepal and Bhutan still await our footfalls. But the mysticism of Tibetan Buddhism has always held us in thrall. The monasteries in the high mountains and the monks who practised an esoteric religion and led a life of austerity and asceticism had always been a source of great fascination for us. We had also heard about the mystical festivals in Ladakh which involved masked dances by monks in ancient monasteries.
So an invitation to experience the Naropa Festival 2018 and spend almost a week at Leh, Ladakh was nothing less than a call of the divine for us. It was an opportunity for us to dive deep into the realms of Tibetan Buddhism and experience first hand the celebration of the life and times of one of its most revered saints and Mahasiddhas, Naropa, who lived in the early 11th century. So we were off to the Naropa Festival 2018 celebrating 1000+ Year’s at Hemis Ladakh.
Who Was Naropa?
Naropa was an India saint and philosopher who practised the Vajrayana stream of Buddhism. He lived between 1016 to 1100 CE and his teachings reverberated through the Himalayan region deeply influencing its people. His main contribution is considered to be what is now known as the Six Dharmas or Six Yogas of Naropa. They are a set of Tantric practices which aid in the attainment of enlightenment. It is believed that the Six Yogas were handed down by the Buddha himself and passed on in an unbroken lineage via Tilopa who was the Guru of Naropa and from there to the present who is the Gyalwang Drupka considered to be an authentic incarnation of Naropa.
The six gems of wisdom given by Tilopa to Naropa
Don’t recall (Don’t dwell in the past)
Don’t imagine (Don’t dwell in the future)
Don’t think (Don’t dwell in the present)
Don’t examine (Don’t try to figure anything out)
Don’t control (Don’t try to make anything happen)
Rest (Relax, right now, and rest in the self-liberating nature of ordinary mind)
It is said that when Naropa achieved enlightenment he was given Six Bone Ornaments by Dakinis who are spirits according to Vajrayana Buddhism. Naropa directed his disciple Marpa to spread his message in the land of Snow. He gave the bone ornaments he was wearing along with a rosary made of rubies as well as other ritual objects to Marpa. The bone ornaments have been passed on from one master to another in an unbroken chain since then and are considered highly sacred and a very important part of Buddhism history of the Himalayas. It is believed that the very sight of the ornaments by the devout results in their salvation.
The sacred ornaments which are housed in the ancient Hemis monastery Leh are worn by the Gyalwang Drukpa, the spiritual head of the Drukpa lineage once in 12 years when the region near the Hemis monastery Ladakh celebrates the Naropa festival which has been dubbed as the Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas. The Gyalwang Drukpa is the spiritual head of Drukpa Lineage and the current one Jigme Pema Wangchen is the 12th in the Drukpa lineage and is a well-known environmentalist and in many ways the voice of the Himalayas.
The Naropa Festival: Kumbh Mela of The Himalayas
The Naropa Ladakh festival is a virtual carnival of spirituality, dance, music, and the celebration of the life and times as well as the teachings of the saint Naropa who makes his presence felt even after more than a 1,000 years after leaving the physical plane. The Naropa festival is held in the hallowed vicinity of the ancient Hemis monastery about 40 kilometers from Leh. The festival is a congregation of the Drukpa masters from across Ladakh, Bhutan, and Nepal. Devotees assemble in hordes to listen to religious discourses and immerse themselves in the festival of music and dance. The festival also attracts many international and national celebrities who have performed at the Naropa festival.
The Naropa Festival has traditionally been held every 12 years with great pomp and piety. The last festival in the 12-year cycle was the Naropa Festival 2016 which also commemorated the 1,000th birth anniversary of Naropa and saw tens of thousands of visitors participating in the festival. The main highlight of the festival is, of course, the unveiling of the sacred bone ornaments of Naropa which are worn by the Gyalwang Drupka who sits on a throne. The ornaments are then put on public display before for the duration of the festival. The revered ornaments are so sacred and considered to be so spiritually powerful that a mere look at them paves the way for enlightenment for the devout.
It was felt that 12 years is a long period for people to wait to have a glimpse of the divine ornaments and be blessed. Hence starting from the year 2018 the Naropa festival has become an annual affair, however not all the ornaments are put on display and also the Gyalwang Drukpa does not wear them. The festivals still have all the elements that have made the Naropa Festival, one of the most eagerly awaited events in the Himalayas.
Our Experiences At The Naropa Festival 2018
We were excited as we took off from Delhi to Leh to attend the 5 days long Naropa Festival 2018. The 45-minute flight would take us from an altitude of 744 feet to an altitude of 10,682 feet. The flight itself was exciting as we approached Leh.
Watch this aerial view video of Ladakh:
The snow clad mountains of the Himalayas stretched below in a spellbinding fashion as we seemed to land in heaven. The Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport at Leh itself is picturesque as it nestles between the high Himalayan peaks, of course, it is a challenging airport for pilots as well as it is unidirectional.
We settled down in our hotel for the day to acclimatize ourselves to the rare oxygen levels at the high altitude. This is absolutely necessary especially if you are arriving by air in Leh as one may be susceptible to AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness).
The Naropa festival 2018 took off officially from the 16th of September as friendly volunteers ushered us to the venue of the festival. A chat with the youngsters revealed that most of them were students who were studying in different parts of India like Delhi and had come back to volunteer for the Naropa festival, the Kumbh of Himalayas.
Watch this video – The procession of the sacred relics at Naropa Festival
The Arrival of the holy relics of Naropa which included the Crown Ornament, one of the six bone ornaments that were given by the Dakhinis was the highlight and the fulcrum of the celebrations.
The sacred relics arrived in a grand procession from the ancient Hemis monastery and were placed in an exclusive room atop a specially designed structure which is a few kilometers before the Hemis monastery after one crosses the mighty Indus river.
The structure itself is beautifully designed and springs like a white pearl harmoniously blending with the stark brown mountains that flank it from all sides. A huge stage by the side of the structure was the place for the cultural programmes and discourses.
The arrival of the sacred relics in procession seemed to electrify the atmosphere as well as the people, the place seemed to be a riot of colors with ochre-clad monks of all shapes and sizes running around briskly, charged with excitement.
A team of drummers launched a beautiful rhapsody that seemed to soar to the heavens as a pair of young monks blew their conches, the sound of which echoed through the Himalayan peaks.
The Naropa festival 2018 fittingly started off with a prayer for the peace and prosperity of all humanity and was led by His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche who is the regent of the Drukpa lineage.
The Naropa Fellowship
The Naropa festival 2018 was also a fitting platform which introduced the inaugural class of the Naropa Fellowship programme. The programme is a one-year residential programme at a special campus near the Hemis monastery.
The programme is targetted towards Post Graduate candidates with an aim to hone their leadership potential and make them future ready.
It is interesting to note here that there is a university in Colorado, the USA, known as Naropa University, named after Naropa who himself had studied at the great Nalanda University.
Musings From The Heart and Rhythm Of The Stars
The Naropa festival was also the stage which saw the release of the book Musings From The Heart written by His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, a well known humanitarian, environmentalist and author. Another important event was the release of the music album Rhythm Of The Stars, which embodies the voice of the land of Ladakh and features young and upcoming talent of the region. It was heartening to note that proceeds of the sale of the albums would be contributed towards the rebuilding of faraway Kerala which had seen huge devastation by rains in August 2018.
The Naropa Festival 2018 – A Cultural Extravaganza
The Naropa festival was not only an occasion to cleanse ones’ soul in the sanctified presence of the sacred relics and the Drukpa masters but also an occasion to immerse oneself in the realm of dance and music. Local dancers and musicians brought alive the culture of the mountain kingdom like never before and their performances touched the core of our hearts. The presence of the big names like Kailash Kher, Sonu Nigam, Akriti Kakar, Aditi Sharma, and Papon added that bit of extra earthy glamour to the proceedings and had the crowds in raptures.
The Drukpa lineage is known for its practical approach to spirituality. It’s masters including His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa and His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche are spiritual pragmatists who bring alive the teachings of Naropa from the realms of dogma to benefit the contemporary world.
A glowing example of this is the order of the Kung-Fu nuns which represents the importance of gender equality as envisaged by the Drukpa lineage. The Kung-Fu nuns set the stage on fire with a vibrant Dharma dance.
A fashion show that presented the best of indigenous Ladakhi designs, an archery event, and a Guinness World record beating dance were some of the other highlights.
Two hundred and ninety-nine Ladakhi women swayed gracefully as they did the School dance to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest Ladakhi dance.
A much-awaited event was also the unveiling of the largest silk embroidery of Buddha Amitabha. The silk Thangka depicts the life of the Buddha in exquisite colours and details and is unfurled daily during the course of the Naropa festival.
This is a breathtaking piece of art that measures a massive seventy feet in length and is a colorful but silent testimony to the skills of the artists. The Buddha Amitabha stood like a colossal and was a colorful visual contrast to the arid background of the rocky mountains.
Meeting With His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche
Some moments in life stay etched in memory for posterity. These are moments that have the power to transform. One such moment awaited us at the Naropa festival. This was a meeting with His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche. The thirty minutes we spent in his august presence was worth its weight in gold. He explained about the vision of the Naropa Fellowship programme and answered and clarified all questions with a divine equanimity. He talked about the efforts the Drukpa lineage was doing for the sustenance of the environment, across India and particularly in Ladakh.
The Drukpa Lineage has also started a secular non-profit organization called Live to Love which is rendering yeoman service in the Himalayan region. Its endeavour is to improve the quality of life of the people and at the same time ensure the sustenance of the environment.
We were really happy to learn about the efforts the organization has put in to create awareness of the harms of usage and indiscriminate disposal of plastic. The cabs and buses in the region have been provided with a bag that hangs behind the driver’s seat and is essentially a place to dispose of plastic and other rubble by tourists to be safely disposed of later.
Watch the video – Talk with his eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche
Water today is more precious than petrol, diesel, or gold. – His Eminence Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche
As the dust settles on the venue of the Naropa festival and the monks return to their sequestered lives, one cannot help but marvel at what this unique festival has achieved. It has breathed fresh air and vitality in the atmosphere and charged everyone remotely connected with it with optimism and hope. Hope for the future of humanity. Hope for a world filled with peace, love, and music.
Of course, you need not wait for the next Naropa festival to head to Ladakh. Leh and the region of Ladakh has so much to offer and there is so much to explore, you can head there anytime. Here is a guide to Leh that you will find useful.
We were part of the hosted media at Naropa Festival 2018. However, the views and opinions expressed here are our own.
Our related posts on Leh – Ladakh:
Prevent Acute Mountain Sickness – Ladakh AMS
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Beautiful capture of the spirit of Naropa festival…. rekindled my memories when I attended the big 12 year celebrations in 2016
I enjoy looking at your photos and reading about the different places you visit. I can’t visit everyplace so this allows me to enjoy and learn.
What a fabulous festival to attend. It’s gorgeous! I would love to go and learn about other cultures.
Oh wow this looks incredible! I would love to go to a festival such as this and learn more about the culture. What amazing photos!
I have never experienced a festival like this and reading this post makes me interested and wanting to experience something like this in the future.
I have never heard of the Naropa festival. It looks so interesting. It’s always great to learn new things about different cultures.
I can’t even imagine how beautiful everything is in person! I mean, the photos are gorgeous, and I’m sure it’s even more spectacular to witness.
It is always amazing to hear more about different festivals around the world. This one sounds so interesting and I bet it is just so eye opening to get to see it in person.
I love hearing about different festivals. Your pictures are beautiful. I find the The six gems of wisdom given by Tilopa to Naropa very interesting. I certainly need to relax for sure!!
Oh wow! It must have been amazing to see the Himalayas in person!! I love all of your photos!!
Thanks for the comprehensive coverage on the Naropa festival! Seems like an interesting event to partake in. And all the lovely photos! Now I am really interested to find out more about Leh! haha 🙂
This sounds like such an interesting festival to see! I love all the photos of it.
What a wonderful festival! I love all of the colors and details.
Wow, this would be such an amazing festival to see! I have never been to India but it has always been a place I want to visit. The culture seems amazing!
I’m not very familiar with Indian history and culture, but the Naropa Festival sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing info about your culture!
I’ve been to Ladakh once and explored its beautiful landscapes and rich history. However, I wish to go back and enjoy some of their festivals. Naropa Festival looks so vibrant and the history associated with it is quite fascinating. Your pictures have truly captured its vibes and festivities.
I’ve been hearing about how beautiful Ladakh is from my friends and now there’s another reason for me to start planning the trip. Never heard about the Naropa Festival before but after reading this, I’m instantly smitten! The costume are really pretty and colorful. I’m so relieved to know that I won’t need to wait another 12 years to experience it though, lol. I love the six gems of wisdom given by Tilopa to Naropa, I copied it to my notes. Hopefully I will make it to India soon!
Wow this looks absolutely incredible. I would love to go visit one day.
This looks like it would be such an amazing trip. Such beautiful sights of the culture!
I bet that was such a fun experience. I would love to add this to my travel destinations!
I love planning a trip around a festival. The Naropa Festival in Ladakh looks like a colourful festival that’s great for photographers. You captured some fantastic photos of the monks and cultural events.
This would be such an amazing experience. There are so many places around the world, including this one, that I want to experience the culture of before this life is over.
What a great way to experience the culture and the religion, than through a festival like this! So many people participated in it, it just sounds truly amazing. It’s nice to hear that this is now an annual event. You must have had the best time there.
I love reading about festivals like this, especially if it’s a different culture because I get to see a glimpse of how people celebrate! It’s so amazing!
I haven’t heard much about the Naropa Festival but it sounds like a great event to participate in and observe. So much color and tradition. Great to know that the proceeds to the album goes to into a very important cause! I love the aerial video BTW. Looks amazing!
What a beautiful festival! Thanks for a detailed introduction of Naropa and Naropa festival. I especially love dresses of the festival attendees. Would love to attend the festival by myself one day!!
Never heard of this festival before. Thanks for introducing something new to us:) This was a great read and pics looks wonderful.
What an unbelievable experience! I had never heard of this event before, but now I definitely want to go! Meeting holy people is always an enlightening experience, and the way they use their power for good is always a sight to behold. The views are stunning and I can’t believe the festival has been going on for over 1000 years! The sounds of the drums and the shells echoing off the mountains are something I want to experience in my lifetime. Thanks for the inspiration.
What an amazing experience guys! I am like you, very fascinated by Tibetan Buddhism and the Himalayan monks. If I’m completely honest, I think I learned more through your article than by spending a month in Nepal. The Indian Himalayas is 100% what I am coming back to India for one day so it’s amazing to have such an insight to their sacred world.
There are SO many festivals in India it seems. Every time I read posts, like this one, it seems a majority mention different festivals or celebrations to experience. The Naropa Festival sounds incredible and your photos made it look, as you said, divine. But how to choose! How many festivals have you been to? If I were to come to India to see only one or two festivals, which ones would you recommend?
Loved your updates from the Naropa festival and I can imagine how colorful and vibrant festival it is.I am glad to know about its history.Looks amazing experience!
I would love to visit the Naropa Festival! What a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Buddhism and experience the wonders of the Himalayas at the same time!
What a colourful and vibrant festival. It’s always interesting learning about different cultures and I love your photos. What an amazing experience to be involved in
What a fascinating festival to experience. We live in Colorado, but I did not know that there was a university named after Naropa. I enjoyed reading about the history of the saint and the traditions involved in the festival. I’m sure the drums were powerful to witness.
looks like a fantastic experience, so much to learn from other cultures, the photos of the Himalayan peaks from above really makes us feel small! great post 🙂
It is a dream to witness this festival some day and after reading your article we have got a good brief of it. The festival is really an extravaganza of traditions, culture, dances and so many more things. I loved those gems and they are so true if we just think about them. Thanks for sharing about Naropa too in detail. Wonderful writeup and pictures guys as always.
What a fascinating festival…rich in history and spirituality. Thank you for detailing it with such reverence for the religion and people. I can only imagine what it was like being in the presence of his Eminence, Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche. Truly an experience of a life time. Great article!!
As usual, the captures are splendid without a doubt and reading the details, I was transported to the land of the lamas, thanks to your words and lens. It is wonderful how you both relish each and every moment of your travels with enthusiasm and that comes through while reading these articles.Thanks for sharing 🙂
I think it’s so great that you were invited to see this festival. The way you describe the electricity made me feel like I was there too. I really enjoyed seeing the outfits worn by the women who set the record for largest Ladakhi dance. And yes, I think 12 years is too long in between festivals so I’m sure everyone is happy it will be done annually now.
What a beautiful festival to be invited to! I learned something new from this post, and it is especially interesting for me to read about the Six Yogas handed down from Tilopa to Naropa. I loved to observe the folk costumes and decorations, and together with folk dances, it must have been a feast for the eyes.
Cultural festivals are beautiful and its so lovely to learn of a new one, that I hadn’t ever heard of before! Also, it is interesting to read about who was Naropa and his story. I love the Ladakhi women’s dresses and so cool that you saw them setting a Guinness World Record. How did you get invited to this festival?
Awesome post and some great photographs. A couple of years ago V had gone there and had enjoyed the place thoroughly. The festival looks to be so elaborate and well managed.
Wow, that aerial view video is breathtaking!
Wow, what an amazing oppurtunity and special experience! I love all the colorful garments and can just imagine what a wonderful ambience all those drums could create. I never knew the Naropa Festival is only held every 12 years – that sure is a long time to wait for a celebration! Nice to know that they changed it to an annual affair – even if it doesn’t have all the pizazz as the original one!
I have not heard of the Naropa Festival Ladakh but I have to say I really want to go through sounds like I have to wait 11 years now. Especially if it is only held every 12years. I just love everything about it and those colours are just wow. Your pictures are just beautiful. I like that Ladakh to is known as the roof of India such an interesting fact.
What a fascinating insight in this festival and the spirituality behind it. That’s amazing that it was only held once every 12 years! I’m glad they offer something more regularly now. For the people’s sake. I like the principles listed about not dwelling on anything – being present in the moment and just letting yourself be. Wise words.
Spirituality, dance, and music…?! I’m in! How exciting that the festival will be held every year. 12 years is a long time to wait! I was filled with hope just by reading this post so thank you 🙂