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Culture of Leh Ladakh
Ladakhis are known for their cheerful disposition
and most of their festivals fall in winters, which serve as an excuse
for social and convivial gatherings. In summers, archery competitions
and native version of polo are quite common and especially among the
Buddhists, these competitions are often a local ball where folk songs
and dances add to the jovial atmosphere and 'Chang', the local barley
beer is amply used. The rich collection of oral literature of the region
is full of occasion-special songs and poems and includes the localized
versions of the Tibetan epic, 'Kesar Saga'.
Traditions & Rituals
The folk musical instruments 'Surna' (oboe) and 'Daman' (drum) accompany
the ceremonies and public events. These instruments originally introduced
into the region by Muslims hailing from Baltistan but are now exclusively
played by 'Mons' (Buddhist musicians). A newly born child gets a warm
welcome full of festivity and merriment, with functions on his 15th
day in the world, after one month of the birth of a child and his/her
first birthday. The family invites all the friends, relatives and neighbors
and serves them with tea, 'Tsampa' (a local delicacy), butter and sugar.
Weddings in Ladakh are full of music, dance,
merriment and feasting. The boys are generally promised or married at
an age of 16 and girls by the age of 12. The relatives of the groom
take 'Chang', tea, butter and other presents along with the ring to
the bride's home. If the gifts are accepted then marriage takes place
a few months later. On the first day, a grand feast ensues at the bride's
house and on the second day, at the groom's place. After marriage, bride
lives with her husband and her parents offer clothes, animals and land
to the couple as dowry or 'Raqtqaq', depending on their economic status.
The males are the head of the family and
the eldest son has the right to property of his father, which automatically
passes to the next brother after him. In case, there are no sons in
the family, the father brings in husband of the eldest daughter and
property gets transferred in the daughter's name and passes on to her
first son, after her.
Lamas as Oracles
Lamas are believed to be the messengers between the physical and the
spiritual world and often act as astrologers and oracles predicting
the auspicious time for starting any major enterprise. However, the
monk-oracles of Matho Gompa are the most popular ones. It is very interesting
to witness the feats performed hby these monk-oracles. Two monks are
chosen to act as oracles in every three years by a traditional procedure
and they have to undergo rigorous routine of prayer and fasting (and
perhaps training) to purify themselves for the cause. When they finish,
deity possess their body at the opportune time ans the feats, which
they perform feats that can awe anyone including cutting themselves
with knives without even wincing and sprinting along the gompa's (monastery's)
topmost parapet as if they are made of rubber. Whenever possessed, they
are believed to answer only the truth regarding individual and public
welfare, though, the deity may also react with frenzied anger to those
who are skeptical and ask questions only to test the deity.
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