Unique Festivals in Ngari

Except for traditional Tibetan New Year Festival, Bathing Festival, Shoton Festival, Horse Racing Festival and Buddha Exhibition Festival, there are three unique festivals in Ngari. They are Religious Activity in Darchen, Religious Activity in Kegya Monastery and Kagya Men's Festival. If you come across these festivals in your Tibet tour, you not only can enjoy the happy festival atmosphere, but also can experience local custom.

Unique Festivals in Ngari – Religious Activity in Darchen

The Religious Activity in Darchen is held in the Darchen Village, at the foot of Mt. Kailash on April 15th in Tibetan Calendar. It is the start of this religious activity, as well as the start of the activity of worshipping holy mountain and holy lake in the coming year. The site of holding religious activity is in the Serxiongtan Mountain Valley, behind of Darchen Village. In the noon of April 15th, a 24.5 meters high flagpole which is wrapped up with colorful prayer flags slowly rises up with the order of the host and in the sound of chanting scriptures. The prayer flags slightly wave in wind to call various gods on plateau to gather there to take part in the religious activity. The process of rising up the flagpole is divided into two days. On the first day, the flagpole only rises up a half. On the second day, it will completely rise up. It may be waiting for far gods.

Unique Festivals in Ngari – Religious Activity in Kegya Monastery

On June 4th in Tibetan Calendar, the Kegya Monastery, on the south part of Pulan County, will hold grand religious activity in the monastery. Both Kegya Monastery and Toling Monastery are famous monasteries with over thousand years' history in Ngari Prefecture in Tibet. Due to the effect of Kegya Monastery on Buddhism in Ngari and nearby Nepal, there are over thousands monks and believers come here to take part in the religious activity at the time of this activity. At this time, various Thangkas collected in Kegya Monastery will be hanged in the monastery to add more value to this religious activity.

Unique Festival in Ngari – Kegya Men's Festival

In the Kegya Village in Pulan County in Ngari, there is a very special and interesting festival. That's the Men's Festival from February 11th to February 15th in Tibetan Calendar. Before the festival, the most prestigious elderly in the village will manage the festival and fix the amount of rice, flour, ghee, meat and firewood each family should provide. On the day of Men's Festival, men older than 18 years old in the village will be attended upon as emperor and enjoy superior rights. During the Men's Festival, men in Kegya Village will gather on the square in front of Kegya Monastery to drink wine and enjoy performances of Tibetan Opera. At the same time, women and child not can stand there to watch. In addition, each family should send woman to pour wine and serve dishes for men in turn until the end of the festival. After the festival, men and women are equal.