Khecheopalri Lake Festival

WalkinOnSunshine

Hey there IndiaMike crew!! So, I think this may be a long shot, because nobody nobody nobody anywhere in cyberspace seems to be posting this information.... but since you are the experts... I will give it a go.

Anyway, I will be in Sikkim/West Bengal for a few weeks this month. I have a little information about a festival at Khecheopalri Lake which sounds quite nice, but I can't seem to find much concrete help. I did read that it is on the 15th day of the 1st Tibetan month. However, there seem to be two Tibetan calendars. On one of them the fifteenth day is March 13th and on the other the 15th day is March 15th! HELP! Does anyone know when this festival is?

Info on the holiday:
big puja (worship) is organized by the monk of Khecheopalri monastery and the community of Khecheopalri village in order to persuade the lake deities to avert diseases and natural calamities and personal harm. This festival attracts thousands of devotees from all over Sikkim, Darjeeling, Bhutan and Nepal. [And I have read elsewhere that they float a ton of lamps made of butter on the lake... that much is in Lonely P]

Apparently it is called "Chompa Chopa" festival, or something along these lines.

Also, does anyone know anything about the festival in Tashiding? Is that already over?

Thanks so much for your help! Any insight would really really be appreciated!!

ddutta

Are you talking about Losar Festival - The Tibetan New Year Celebration .It falls normally in the month of February.The Tibetan youth take to the streets on the day performing the Yak dance and throwing sampa as a way of greeting and welcoming the new year with shouts of "Tashi Delek". The Tibetan community exerts itself in the more than week long festivity with their brocades, jewelry, songs, dances and picnics.The main chaam (masked dance) is held two days prior to Losar (Tibetan New Year) in Pemayangtse . Khechiperi Lake is 20 kilometers from Pemayangtse .
Sikkim Festival Calender :-
http://www.incredibleindia.org/pdf/CalendarofEvents.pdf

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WalkinOnSunshine

Thank you for your help, but unfortunately that is not the festival I mean. I would love to see Losar sometime, but I know that I have missed it for this year. But, I keep finding little bits and pieces of information about a festival at Khecheopalri Lake and another at Tashiding that supposedly fall on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar. However, there seem to be multiple versions of the Tibetan calendar. Plus, other sources list th Tashiding festival as falling in January.

Also, does anyone know anything about whether Holi is worthwhile in Darjeeling or Gangtok (or anywhere in the northern part of Bengal or Sikkim for that matter).

We are determined to experience an interesting local festival!!! Help!

Thanks IndiaMike friends!

somnath

A Word of Caution about Festivals (Holi)

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WalkinOnSunshine

Oh dear! I feel quite bad Somnath!! That reply was even to a previous post of mine. I don't know how I missed it. Thank you for your help!!!!

Now.... if anyone knows anything about the two Buddhist festivals... you would make my week (or my trip rather).

Here is some info about the festival at Tashiding:
http://www.sikkiminfo.net/bumchu.htm
Sounds exciting, huh?

ddutta

Tashiding Monastery
The sacred ceremony of Bumchu is held here at midnight of the 14th & 15th of the first Tibetan month. Up a steep track, perched atop a conical hill, close to Pemayangtse, , is Sikkim's most venerated shrine, the Tashiding Monastery, built in 1717. Countless prayer flags whisper in the breeze as you approach this holiest of holies. Sikkimese believe that just a glimpse of the nearby, famous chorten (stupa) of the holy lama Thong-Wa-Rang-To (saviours by mere sight), is powerful enough to cleanse you. The sonorous repetition of Om Mani Padme Hum fills the air. Every spring, thousands of devout Buddhists trek to Tashiding to participate in the Bhumchu Festival and sip the sacred water from a sacred bhumpa (water vessel), filled with waters collected from the Rahthong and Rangit rivers

ddutta

Losar is on 28th February ,2006 as per Sikkim Govt. declared Holiday List.Holi is on 15th March,2006. So Bumchu should be on the midnight of 14th -15th March 2006.

somnath

In the year 2006, Losar (Tibetian New Year) was on 30th Jan to 1st Feb. So Bhumchu was on 14th Feb. it is late for this year.

In 2007, the date of Losar is 18 to 20 February.

Sorry, I am unable to provide any firsthand info; but may be, you will something interesting from this link:
http://www.questhimalaya.com/moreabout/festivals.htm

And
http://www.axn-travel.com/himalaya/d...hts7_sik.shtml - they organize the Bhumchu trip. So you can easily send an enquiry for the dates and all.

Tomi is in Pelling now. so you can send a PM to him to get some firsthand info.

ddutta

I am totaly confused with the date of Losar. the Sikkim Govt Holiday List for 2006 shows that Losar = 28th feb.2006.
http://sikkim.nic.in/sikkimroot/html/holidays.htm
Bhumchu Tour Package :-
http://www.sikkimhimalayas.com/bhumchu_tour.htm

somnath

Hi dutta da I am extremely sorry . I was confused with (Sonam) Lochar. You are right.

Then,WalkinOnSunshine, you can experience this festival this year. I think it will be better if you send a request to the tour operator (link is given in my earlier post) for exact date.

ddutta

The info I got from the net says that Khechopalri Lake Festival is an extended programme of Bhumchu . Bhumchu at Tashiding Monastery starts on midnight of 14th - 15th from Losar. Followed by prayers , other rituals & masked dance in Khechopalri Lake & Pemayangtse Monastery.Thus Khechopalri Lake Festival will be on 15th March 2006. which happens to be Holi too.

jyotirmoy

Yes ddutt is right. The wooden pier at the lake is decorated very beautifully.
Khecheopalri lake is considered as one of the sacred lakes of this state both by the Buddhist and the Hindus. The lake remains hidden in the rich forest cover. It is believed that the birds do not permit even a single leaf to float on the lake surface. There is a motor able road from Pemayangtse right up to the lake area.

For those interested in spending a night or two in the peaceful environment a trekkers hut has been provided by the tourism office. The hut is presently managed by a local person and provides comfortable stay providing a taste of local cuisine,
Do try the 'chang' brew made of fermented millet. There is also a pilgrim's hut, managed by the tourism department , which is meant to provide accommodation to the people who come on pilgrim tours.

WalkinOnSunshine

Wow!! I did the right thing by placing my trust in IndiaMike!! Thanks so much for all of your help everyone!

Also, I e-mailed the listed tourist agent, who wrote me back in an unprecedented 3 minutes.

"Thank you for your mail, no the Bhumchu has not started as yet, the main ceremony.ie. the opening of the sacred vase would be on the full moon day of 14th March ie. the midnight so the ceremony would be the night of 13th and early morning of 14th.

People will start converging at the tashiding monastery from the 11th MArch and after the ceremony at the Tashiding Monastery would visit Khechopalri and the hot springs at Geyzing."

Looks like we will for sure be hitting up the festival for at least one day! I will make sure to give you more info when I return.

Thanks again!

papertiger

How was this? I would've loved to experience the festival.