Gustor festival
Cham dance during Spituk Gustor 2018 in Spituk Monastery
Observed byBuddhists
TypeReligious festival
New year
Commemoration
Significancebeing celebrated for peace and prosperity in the coming Ladakhi New year
BeginsFebruary
EndsFebruary
Date28th and 29th day of the 11th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar every year
2022 date30–31 January
2023 date19–20 January
FrequencyAnnual

Gustor festival is celebrated in different monasteries of Ladakh. It is celebrated by various monasteries such as Thiksey, Spituk, Korzok and Karsha. The word Gustor དགུ་གཏོར / དགུ་སྟོར literally means 'Sacrifice of the 29th Day' in the Tibetan language.[1] The festival is celebrated for two days, with different kinds of rituals, ceremonies, music & Cham Dance.

Thikse Gustor Festival

Thikse Gustor Festival in Thikse Monastery is held on the month of (October–November) which is held from the 17th to 19th day of the ninth month of the Tibetan calendar.[2][3]

Korzok Gustor Festival

Korzok Gustor Festival in Korzok Monastery is held on the month of July. Many Chang-pa, the Tibetan plateau nomadic herdsmen are attracted to this festival. [4] In Korzok Gustor festival, Lama dancers wear masks to represent the Dharmapalas. Dharmapalas are guardian divinities of the Buddhist pantheon. They are the patron divinities of the Drukpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism.[4]

Karsha Gustor Festival

Karsha Gustor Festival in Karsha Monastery is held on the 27th and 28th day of the 6th Tibetan month which falls in July. Karsha (biggest Monastery in Zanskar). This festival has masked dance, quaint music and spiritual chants which continue for two days. [1][3][5]

Stonday Gustor Festival

Stonday Gustor Festival is held in the Stonday Monastery. The dates of this festival depends on the Tibetan calendar. Date varies every year but mostly in July.[5]

Schedule

Since Ladakh follows the Tibetan lunar calendar and Gustor festival comes on the 28th and 29th day of the 11 month Tibetan calendar, every year the festival falls on a different date of the Gregorian calendar.

YearDate
202111–12 January
202230–31 January
202319–20 January
2024
2025
2026
2027

References

  1. 1 2 India 2017 YEARBOOK (First ed.). McGraw Hill Education. 2017. ISBN 978-9352605682. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Ladakh Through the Ages. Indus Publishing Company. 1992. ISBN 9788185182759. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 Amazing Land Ladakh. Indus Publishing Company. 2006. ISBN 9788173871863. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Korzok Gustor Festival". Footloose India. 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2008.
  5. 1 2 Mohd Hamza (25 June 2019). The Dreamland: Discover Unexplored Kargil (Ladakh). Notion Press. pp. 35–. ISBN 978-1-64546-837-0.
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