[Prem Chetry]
TAWANG, 9 Jan: The three-day Torgya festival got underway at the Gaden Namgyal Lhatse monastery here on Tuesday.
Torgya, a weeklong religious festival, comprises several rituals led by the monastery’s abbot Sheling Rinpoche. The last three days feature mask dances (cham) for the public, depicting various significant episodes of centuries-old events.
The first day of the festival saw the participation of former prime minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile Dr Lobsang Sangye, local MLA Tsering Tashi, Karmik & Adhyatmik Affairs Department Chairman Jambay Wangdi, 190 Brigadier VS Rajput, and DC Kanki Darang.
Mask dances were performed in the morning, while ‘renouncing of the ritual cake’ was performed in the afternoon. It is a symbolical renouncement of one’s ignorance and hatred, and victory of good over evil.
Large numbers of domestic and international tourists, besides pilgrims from neighbouring Bhutan are participating in the festival.
