Hemis Festival in Ladakh 2023

Bringing the colorful shades of festivities in the barren, deserted land of Ladakh - the Hemis Festival is one event that greatly represents the analogy of Ladakh culture. Hemis Festival in Ladakh also marks the victory of good over evil just like the other popular festivals in Leh Ladakh. After passing the harsh winter of Ladakh, Hemis Ladakh Festival feels like a welcome respite that attracts thousands of tourists to this remote place. And what better way to understand the people and culture of a region, other than its festivals. 

Table of Content-

• Why celebrate the Hemis Festival?
• Main Attraction of Hemis Festival
• When to celebrate Hemis Festival?
• Where to celebrate the Hemis Festival?
• Where to Stay during Hemis Festival?
• How to Reach Hemis Monastery?

Why celebrate the Hemis Festival?

Hemis ladakh is a  two-day celebration marking the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Lord Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche), who defeated the demon. And therefore, the people of Ladakh celebrated this festival on his birth anniversary. It is believed that his life mission was to improve the spiritual condition of living beings.

With the rhythmic sounds of cymbals, drums, and trumpets, celebrations of the Hemis Ladakh festival commence early in the morning. 

During your Ladakh tour, you will encounter several highlights of the Hemis festivals in Ladakh, from peaceful prayers and rituals to cultural and religious celebrations.

• Cham Dance: This is a mystic mask dance, which is locally known as Chams. Hemis festival Ladakh is renowned for its masked performers, who perform uproarious dances illustrating tales of good and evil.
• Colorfully Dressed:Locals are dressed in bright-colored attires and paper-Mache masks. Synchronization of their dance with the sounds of the traditional music instruments makes the Hemis Ladakh a lively and joyous affair.
• Tantric traditions: It is not just a dance performance to bring in variety. The Chams hold an important place in the Tantric traditions of Buddhism; therefore, they are the prime attractions of the Hemis festival in Ladakh.
• Handicrafts: The unique handicrafts, antique objects, artifacts like Buddhist idols, Tibetan gems and jewelry, and hand-woven dresses are some of the prime attractions of theHemis festival, Ladakh.

Above mentioned are some of the attractive attractions in Hemis Ladakh Festival and you should explore them. 

When to celebrate the Ladakh Hemis festival?

Dedicated to the birth of Buddhist Lord Padmasambhava, who is the founder of Vajrayana Buddhism in Ladakh, Hemis Festival Ladakh is celebrated on the 10th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan lunar month. He is believed to have been born on this day, and Hemis Festival in Ladakh is celebrated with enthusiasm by the locals.

Where to celebrate the Hemis Festival?

As evident from its name, the celebrations of the renowned festival take place in the Hemis Gompa near Karu in Leh. The monastery holds a sacred status and is also the largest of its kind in Ladakh.

Where to Stay during festival

During the Hemis Ladakh tour, visitors can stay near the monastery. There are many good accommodation options nearHemis Monastery, which offer a comfortable stay. 

Some of the best staying options are-

• The Verda Driftwood Ladakh
• Ladakh Sarai Resort
• Hotel Royal Palace
• The Grand Dragon Ladakh
• The Abduz Leh
• The Indus Valley

Choose any of the above mentioned staying options to explore the most Hemis festival in Ladakh. 

Hemis Monastery is situated 35 km from Leh which gives the complete feel of Hemis Ladakh. The monastery is well-connected by road from nearby places. However, there is no direct connectivity between rail and flight. Here is the detailed information about how to reach Hemis Monastery-

Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh is the nearest airport, which is well-connected with the major cities of India such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Srinagar. Cabs are easily available from the airport to Hemis Monastery.

The nearest major railhead is Jammu Tawi railway station, which is situated 883 km from Hemis Monastery. Catch a bus or hire a cab from Jammu Tawi railway station for Hemis.

There are two routes to reach by road – The Manali-Leh highway and the Srinagar-Leh highway. Board a bus from Srinagar to Leh or Manali to Leh. Also, hire a cab from any of these destinations to reach Leh from where one can easily reach Hemis by road.

If you are willing to enjoy a remarkable Ladakh tour, choose our tour packages of Ladakh. We provide fully-customizable tour packages that you can alter as per your requirements. Also you can explore the Hemis festival in Ladakh.