Kegya Men’s Festival

Brief Introduction of Kegya Men's Festival

In Pulan County, Ngari Prefecture, there is a very special and funny festival you can not find in other districts. That is the Kegya Men's Festival which will be held from February 11th to February 15th in Tibetan Calendar. Because men will gather at the square in front of Kegya Monastery, hence the name "Kegya Men's Festival". Since there is no Men's Festival in other prefectures of Tibet, the Kegya Men's Festival looks very special. Consequently, it is more attractive for foreign visitors who want to enjoy the special custom of Tibetan.

Preparation for Kegya Men's Festival

Before the festival, the most prestigious elderly in the village will raise funds and manage the festival. The elderly will fix how much rice, flour, ghee, meat and firewood each family should provide in advance.

Celebration of Kegya Men's Festival

During the Kegya Men's Festival, men from 18 years old to the oldest in the village will be attended upon as emperor, with supreme status. On the day of Kegya Men's Festival, all men in the village will gather on the square in front of Kegya Monastery to drink wine and enjoy Tibetan opera performances. They can comfortably sit on cushion, while women and children are standing aside to watch. During the festival, women in each family will pour wine and serve dishes for men in turn until the end of the festival. At the end of Men's Festival, men and women will be on equal terms.

Although the Kegya Men's Festival is full of local characteristics, it also keeps some marks of the patriarchal clan system. When the Kegya Men's Festival comes, the headwear and dress of women are very special. During the Men's Festival, women will wear pearls and agates all over their heads and dress the festival costumes which are made up of silk, sheep skin and otter. Furthermore, the festival costumes are also decorated with gold and silver products and jewelries. Women will dress the most beautiful and precious costumes in the festival to show their beauty and abundance. This kind of costume is rarely seen at common time. People may only dress this costume in New Year Festival, festivals and important days. The value of this kind of costume may be over ten thousand yuan, even several millions yuan. All of these jewelries may gather the property of dozens of generations.

If you have Tibet tour in this season, you may be lucky enough to enjoy the special festival atmosphere and splendid festival costume. At the same time, it is also a good opportunity to experience the authentic daily life of Tibetans which can not be seen at common time. During Kegya Men's Festival, you not only can enjoy the unique hilarious atmosphere of men's festival, but also can appreciate the precious and beautiful Tibetan women's dress and ornaments. Of course, you also can record every wonderful moment with your camera. I believe it will be a wonderful and unforgettable experience in your life.