01
Tiji Festival - The Colorful Exhibit of Dorjee Sunno's Victory
Tiji is the most important, colorful three-day festival celebrated by Tibetan-Buddhists in the walled city of Lo Manthang of the Upper Mustang. It usually falls on the third week of May according to the Gregorian calendar, with its date changeable since it is a lunar festival.
The Upper Mustang Trek is an incredibly famous trek you can make the most of. While observing this local religious festival, you will also see the ancient kingdom of Upper Mustang, where the Mustang Royal Family lives to date.
However, you are not only on the way to experiencing Tiji but also the authentic Tibetan Buddhist culture here. The barren brown land under the vast sky is a jaw-dropping view along the stunning scenery of mountains like Annapurna I, Nilgiri, Tilicho, and the mountain villages here.
The word “Tiji” is an acronym for “Tempa Chirim,” which means “Prayer for World Peace.” The auspicious festival is celebrated to celebrate the victory of Dorjee Sonnu, the incarnation of Lord Buddha, over Man Tam Ru. This demon devoured humans and caused natural calamities like storms and droughts in the kingdom.
Likewise,Upper Mustang was called the Kingdom of Lo from the 15th century to the late 18th century and was an independent kingdom. King Prithvi Narayan Shah annexed the Lo region to the Kingdom of Nepal in 1789 named a Upper Mustang. Todays's Lo - Manthang is the kingdom of Low dynasty. The Tiji festival is not just a celebration but a prayer for peace to prevail in the lives of the people. The Tiji festival will celebrate its 6th, 7th, and 8th anniversary in 2023.
Attraction of the Tiji Festival
The colorful masked dance is the major attractios of the his festivals. Its ( locally called Mukut dance) to the tunes of their ancient music with the traditional chant in the background. It is a colorful performance because the dancers’ costumes are created with red, blue, and yellow colors that we see in prayer flags. Their masks are also colored too. There are six dances, if not more, recognized by their names.
It is celebrated for three days through colorful costumes, dance performances organized by the monks of the Chhode Monastery. This celebration is done in front of the King’s Palace in Lo - Manthang, and everyone gathers to watch it as the Chhode monks reenact the legacy behind the festival through their performance. And, this is how Tiji is celebrated throughout these three days.
First Day of Tiji - Tyoleh Jangchup Drubpa
The first day of the celebration is called Tyoleh Jangchup Drubpa. A large Thangka painting with the image of Padmasambhava and two dakinis are opened on the southern wall of the Tashi Gephel Palace. This painting is believed to be more than 400 years old and is opened with the sound of traditional copper horns known as Dungchen drums which iscymbals in the afternoon. The tantric practitioners, also known as Ngagpas from Lo-Manthang, offer incense and six bowls with grain and torma on a wooden altar. Then, the monks wearing red hats arrive and sit on the seats placed right beneath the outspread Thangka painting.
The Khenpo, the head of the Chodeo Gompa, sits on a moderately higher dais in the center, with monks blowing the Dungchen at the far end of the platform. The masked dance called “Tso Chham” begins with this, along with the prayer chants and the Dungchens. The masked dancers begin their 52 dance steps from the Palace in front of his private room.
The performers receive powers from Vajrakila, especially the Tsowo, who is the main dancer of the monks. After performing in front of the private room, they slowly head to the square in front of the Palace. They continue their performance in front of the public for two hours. This dance is storytelling about Man Tam Ru troubling the Kingdom of Lo and Dorjee Sonnu getting victory over it.
Second Day Of Tiji - Mehleh Dakedawa
The second day begins with prayers and offerings before unfurling another Thangka next to the previous day’s Thangka. Then the dance performance begins, meaning different from the first day. The performance is called “Na-Cham,” which shows the battle between Dorjee Sonnu and the demon. It also depicts Dorjee Sonnu’s attempt to bring the demon back to the Buddha Land and ends this performance by slaying the demon. This act is called the Dhakey.
The Tsowo pierces the straw figure representing the demon with a religious dagger to perform the Dhakey, then throws the straw figure into the air. It represents the victory of good over evil. The other dances symbolize the win over the demon. Different animals like tigers, deers, yaks, horses, vultures, and crows are represented in the dance, representing the gathering of Vajrakilaya.
Some other dance performances include representing the main deity of gods of the Kings of Mustang, the Dungmara in their performances. The Royal Family of Mustang participates in this festival to observe this dance.
Third Day of Tiji - The Final Victory Over Evil
The third day begins with prayers and making offerings once more before monks give performances wearing masks to demonstrate animals. The name of dance ceremony performed on this day is called the “Rha Chaam.” A figure is made out of dough to represent the demon. The Tsowo faces the northeast, pierces the religious dagger to the figure, and cuts off its head. It represents the winning of good over evil, and this cut head is buried in front of the main entrance of the Royal Palace. The remaining parts are disposed of later.
To end the ceremony, all the performers join the scene and dance as their ancient music and the sound of shooting guns play in the background. Then the masked dancers lead a procession with the Royal Family, and the prominent people of their community follow as they make their way to the Solang. The Tsowo makes prayers to the gods and weapons like a bow and an arrow as they throw the five big red tormas on the ground representing the loss of evil and the final victory to Dorjee Sonnu.
Conclusion
This is how the colorful, glorious, and religious festival of Tiji ends. The celebration of the triumph of good over evil and its rejoicing reflects the hopeful festival that Tiji has evolved to be.
If you want to experience the memorable Tiji festival, Ama Adventure will take you through the cultural enthusiasm. There is more than the festival because your journey will be filled with the view of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains and the barren lands of the Upper Mustang. So, hop on to find out why this well-preserved land is known as the hidden gem of the Himalayas.
This auspicious festival is a perfect way to experience the authentic Tibetan culture of Upper Mustang. Upper Muntang became restricted to preserve its unique celebrations and landscapes from the country. It should be noted that Tiji itself represents the uniqueness of Lo Manthang.
