Itanagar: The centuries-old monastic dances specially the dance of deities Palden Lhamo and Gonpo or Mahakala were introduced for the first time in Palpung Zangdok Palri Monastery, Jang in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday.
The villagers of Jang and its surrounding areas gathered in huge numbers to witness the monastic dances and take blessings, informed the Tawang district information and public relations officer Nawang Chhota.
“Beginning with today, the tradition of performing these monastic dances will be done every 11-12 lunar months in the coming years,” informed Khenpo Ngima Tashi, the chief monk of the monastery.
Tawang Deputy Commissioner Kesang Ngurup Damo alongwith ZPC Leki Gombu, DDSE Hridhar Phuntsok, officers from Indian Army, civil administration and public leaders also attended the function.
While addressing the gathering, the DC commended the chief monk Khenpo Ngima Tashi and the Sangha (monastic community of bhikkhus) for the hard work they have put in to learn and manage the costumes of the monastic dances.
He stressed on preservation of culture and tradition and asked the younger generation to speak in their mother tongue to promote their cultural pride. He said that one’s own mother tongue can be learnt at home and within the community ‘only’, while other languages can be learned in educational institutions.
ZPC Leki Gombu, while expressing his happiness at the introduction of such sacred and beautiful monastic dances at the monastery, congratulated Khenpo and the Sangha for their success in introducing this centuries-old monastic tradition. He offered his prayers to make this annual monastic event successful in years to come and to make it a major tourist attraction.
Later, the DC alongwith the ZPC distributed blankets and jackets to all the monks of the Palpung monastery. These warm clothings were sponsored by Gurgaon-based NGO ‘The Hans Foundation’ and supported by Arunodaya Welfare Society.
