- Two days in June or July
- Tibetan month 5, day 10
- Hemis Monastery, Ladakh
Where it began
Tsechu means the tenth day. Buddhists in the Himalayas keep the tenth day of the lunar month for Guru Padmasambhava, the great teacher revered for bringing Buddhism to Tibet and the mountains around it. The tenth day of the fifth month is held as his birthday.
Hemis Monastery belongs to the Drukpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It was rebuilt and grew in the 1600s with the support of the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal, and it became one of the largest and richest monasteries in Ladakh.
The heart of the festival is the Cham, a sacred dance by monks in masks and silk robes. Legend and teaching say the dances show the victory of good over evil and help clear away harmful forces for the year ahead.
How it grew over time
8th century
Guru Padmasambhava teaches in Tibet; Himalayan Buddhists come to honour him on the tenth day of the month.
1600s
Hemis Monastery is rebuilt and grows under King Sengge Namgyal of Ladakh.
Every twelve years
In the monkey year a giant thangka of the Guru is unrolled in the courtyard for all to see.
Today
Thousands of local families and visitors gather in the monastery courtyard each summer.
How it is celebrated in different places
Hemis Monastery
Monks dance in the courtyard to long horns, drums and cymbals while families watch from the galleries.
Leh and nearby villages
Families travel in their best dress, and stalls sell crafts, food and prayer items.
Other Himalayan monasteries
Tsechu masked dances in honour of the Guru are also held in Sikkim, Bhutan and other Buddhist regions.
Hemis Festival today
The festival is a time of prayer, colour and meeting friends. People offer butter lamps and prayers, watch the dances for hours, and share food with family. Visitors are welcome and are asked to be quiet and respectful in the courtyard.
