KORZOK GUSTOR LADAKH, INDIA
Korzok monastery is located on the shore of the lake Tso Moriri at an altitude of 4,530m in Changthang region. Korzok village belongs to the Changpa nomads of the Changthang plateau that soars above the rest of India in the eastern part of Ladakh. Korzok Gustor attracts nomads from different parts of Changthang. They visit the fair to gain merits and blessings through prayers. Akin to every Gustor celebration, Black Hat dance is performed to mark the killing of Lang Dharma, an apostate king by a Buddhist monk.
LATHMAR HOLI MATHURA, INDIA
According to legend, Krishna visited Barsana to tease Radha and her friends. In response, the women chased him and his friends away with sticks, or 'lathis'. This act of playful retribution has been immortalized in the Lathmar Holi celebrations, where women of Barsana 'beat' the men from Nandgaon with sticks.
THE THIMPHU TSHECHU, BHUTAN
The Thimphu Tshechu Festival, held annually in Bhutan is a vibrant celebration of culture, tradition, and spirituality which commemorates the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche - a revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism and the Himalayan region, also considered the "Second Buddha".
TIJI FESTIVAL UPPER MUSTANG, NEPAL
Tiji Festival is the grand Tibetan-Buddhist festival celebrated in the Lo-Manthang City of Upper Mustang. The festival remains endemic to the people of Upper Mustang. The term "Tiji" stands for “Tenchi." Both of these are the short forms of Tenpa Chirim, which means prayer for world peace.
KANDY ESALA PERAHERA, SRI LANKA
The Perahera festival, particularly the Kandy Esala Perahera, is a vibrant, ten-day-long Buddhist procession held annually in Kandy, Sri Lanka, during July/August. It is a grand celebration of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth). The Perahera involves a procession of dancers, drummers, musicians, and fire artists, accompanied by caparisoned elephants.
