Tiji Festival 2019

 

In 2019, I went on three major journeys to photograph "ordinary people doing extraordinary things".

The first journey was at the end of May.  I returned to Upper Mustang, "The Former Kingdom of Lo", for the third time in three years ostensibly to witness and document a major festival, Tiji Festival" held in Lo Manthang.

The Tiji Festival is one of the two major festivals held in Lo Manthang each year.  It is held typically at the end of May and early June, prior to the start of the rainy season.  The other major festival, which I attended the previous year, is "Yartung Festival, which is held at the end of the rainy season in August.

In the 17th century the King of Mustang invited the Sakya Trizin (Holder of the Sakya Throne) in Samye Monastery in Tibet, the home of Vajrakila sacred dance, to reside at the Chode Monastery in Lo Manthang. The Tibetan culture and tradition is very strong in Mustang.  Today it is said that Upper Mustang is more like Tibet than the post WWII Chinese dominated Tibet of today.

While at the Chode Monastery, the Sakya Trizin performed a special Vajrakila ritual for the well being of all conscious as well as mindful beings such as divinities, humans, animals, tormented spirits, and denizens of hell.  He started a Cham, sacred Vajakila dances, associated with meditation.

Since that time in the 17th century, the Monks of Chode Monastery have been performing the dance and rituals.  Just as the Chams of Bhutan, every intricate movement, gesture, and expression of the dancer is prescribed and holds significant meaning.  In performing the Cham the Monk dancer has meditated to become the deity that he portrays.

The Tiji Festival, "Prayer for world peace", is a very religious Vajrayana Buddhist purification ceremony and ritual that commemorates the legend of a son who defeated his father in order to save the Kingdom of Lo.  The son, a deity named Dorji Jono, fought his demon father who had brought drought which caused famine in the land.

The Tiji Festival, which is held at the end of the dry season and the start of the wet growing season, commerates the victory of good over evil.

The Tiji Festival is a three day event.  In 2019 the first day of the festival was May 31st.  On the morning of the 31st, I attended a puja, a religious ritual, at the Chode Monastery.  I did not take any photographs because photography is not allowed UNLESS you had purchased a special permit just for that event.  If I remember is was something like $100 for two hours.

Unfurling the Thankla

In the afternoon, the ceremony started with a procession of costumed Monks from the monastery to the courtyard south of the Palace Gate and East of the Royal Palace.  I had been informed that the festivities would commence at 1:00 PM.  I arrived early, around 12:00 PM in order to not miss anything.  The area for spectators was already rapidly filling with people - locals as well as tourists.  I found a good location and sat on the cobble stone paving to await the start. 1:00 PM came and went.  I spoke with some people and they informed me that the ritual would start around 2:00 PM.  2:00 PM came and went.  I spoke with a monk that I know in Lo Manthang and he informed me that the start would be at 3:00 PM.  3:00 PM came and went.  However, at 3:30 PM the festivities actually started.  The wait and confusion is fairly typical for events in Upper Mustang.  Waiting is not all that unpleasant when you are surrounded by such beautiful scenery, ancient buildings, interesting local residents, and perhaps just as important - protecting your vantage point from the ever increasing number of spectators.

A Grandfather Escorts His Grandson

Monks Arriving at the Festival Site

Monk Performing Cham

 

The second afternoon, was highlighted by unfurling the ancient Thangka.  The ancient tapestry is said to be 400 years old.  It depicts the image of the Padmasambhava also known as Guru Rinpoche.  Guru Rinpoche was an 8th century Buddhist master.  He constructed the first monastery in Tibet.  He he is widely worshiped as the second Buddha by devotees of Tibetan Buddhism, typically found in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and the mountainous areas of India.

Devotees of Tibetan Buddhism believe that viewing the sacred dances and the thangka brings them peace as well as prosperity.  The chams performed during the Tiji Festival cleanses Lo Manthang and surrounding area of evil spirits.

Unfurling the ancient thangka of Guru Rinpoche

The afternoon of the second day of the Tiji Festival, is filled with sacred dances, Chams.  The Chams performed on that day are more energetic and lively than the ones performed the previous afternoon.

Local women pay their respects to Guru Rinpoche

Lamas play cymbals and blow radong (long horn)

 

Monks Performing Durdag Cham - Lord of the Cremation Ground Dance

Lord of the Cremation Ground Dance

Young Monk Performs  Cham

On the third day of the festival, June 2, involved more sacred cham performances at the festival site.  At approximately, 5:00 PM there was a procession lead by the Lamas from the festival site through the streets of Lo Manthang to a field outside of the village.

Inside of Lo Manthang, Lamas beat drums and chant

At the edge of town, the man who many people recognize as the King stopped and lit the musket held by his bodyguard.  The matchlock musket erupted in a thunderous clap and filled the air with copious clouds of white smoke along with fragments of paper.  The firing of the musket is to banish evil from the town.

The "King's" Bodyguard Holds and Ancient Musket that the "King" Has Just Fired.

Once the procession had cleared the village of Lo Manthang, the ritual was concluded in an open field with the snow capped Himalaya mountains as a backdrop.  Several times, the ancient matchlock muskets were fired to signify the destruction and defeat of Dorjee Jono's evil father for the benefit of Lo Manthang and the Lowa people.  Firing of the muskets also banished any current demons from the region.

Outside of Lo Manthang, a man loads his ancient musket

Men Prepare Musket to be fired

Ramming the Charge

I am glad that I attended the Tiji Festival.  It was a interesting and unique experience.  

Would I return to the Tiji Festival?

Having "been there and done that", I can honestly say that I would not return to the Tiji Festival.

The ritual and ceremony met all my expectations.  The photo opportunities met my needs.

The local people were friendly and very photogenic.  It was a pleasure to see some friends once again and to make some new friends.

However, I did not completely enjoy my visit like during the previous two journeys to Lo Manthang.

The problem on this visit were the other foreign visitors.  There were not necessarily a great number of foreign visitors but I estimate that there were approximately 200 foreigners.  For a "town" of 500 residents, the amount of visitors made a big impact.

Two hundred visitors in the confined space of the Royal Palace Courtyard along with the local people attending THEIR festival was difficult.

I can tolerate the number of visitors.  I can even live, but grudgingly, with some of them wearing bright yellow or red jackets - who wants  photographs of an ethnic festival with brightly dressed foreigners conspicuously in the background? I always attend dressed in tan and black to minimize my visual impact on others.

What I have a low tolerance for and have difficulty in accepting is the poor behavior of  some visitors.  Granted that most visitors behave properly but there is a certain percentage of people who behave poorly.  The greater the number of people in any group, the greater the number of miscreants. I have also found that certain nationalities also tend to be more prevalent to poor public behavior.

Americans used to be considered to be the world's worst tourists.  They have been superseded by Chinese, South Korean, Russian, and German tourists.  I suspect that Italian tourists could also outrank the Americans now.

The Tiji Festival is highly publicized and touted for tourism to Upper Mustang.  Although Upper Mustang receives approximately 3,000 visitors a year, the vast majority of them arrive for the three day Tiji Festival.  Most have not done their homework as to what the festival is about, and most of all how sacred and important it is to the local people.

The festival is for the local people.  They believe that just by attending and witnessing the ritual, they will receive blessings and merit.  The festival is not a commercial event to attract tourists and their money.

Some of the visitors that I observed behaved as if the festival was being conducted for their benefit and entertainment.  That did not excuse their boorish behavior.  On the right hand side of the courtyard, there were a series of well made long benches with red plush cushions on top of them. HINT.  HINT!  They were obviously not intended for tourists!  Other than the chairs set up on the opposite side of the courtyard with "VIP" signs on them, there were no other seating arrangements at the performance venue.

I realized right off the bat that these benches were for the Monks.  Taking advantage of that, I stood right behind them with my knees against the bench - I knew that the young Monks would not be standing and I would have an unobstructed view of the ritual.  

Many tourists came and sat on the benches before the start of the ritual.  Perhaps they did not know or realize.  Some of the tourists sat and refused to move even when they were told that the benches were for the Monks.  As the young Monks stood before them, they would not move.  Even when they were informed by the local people they refused to allow the Monks to use the benches.  Only after an authority figure in a uniform arrived did they reluctantly vacate the benches.

The area of the courtyard where the cham is performed is sacred ground having been purified before the start of the ritual and marked out in two large concentric red lines placed by a Monk pouring the red liquid on the cobble stoned courtyard.  This did not stop some tourists from sitting in the space and refusing to move or respect the area when informed ...until an authority figure appeared with a baton to move them.

Some people behaved even more disgracefully.  There was one Chinese female tourist who kept violating the sacred space to squat and get "HER" shot.  Her presence at times interfered with the movement of the performers. Despite protests from local as well as other tourists she persisted with her obnoxious and inconsiderate behavior.  She became well known and despised throughout the festival.

One foreign man would stand in front of the seated local people at the edge of the audience obstructing their view.  He was not there for a short period of time to take a photo but to watch the ritual!  At other times I saw him placing his hand on local people to move them.  

These were all behaviors that I had not observed in Lo Manthang during my other trips.  It was not an environment that I enjoy or prefer.

2018 Yartung Festival - Lo Manthang

Riding Through Lo Manthang On Evening of the First Day

The main reason, besides sharing a previous wonderful experience with my wife, for our tour of Upper Mustang in August was to witness the Yartung ( Tibetan "Summers End") Festival.

The Yartung Festival in Lo Manthang is held at the end of the monsoon season; marking the end of the growing season and the start of the harvest season.  This year the festival was held from August 15th to August 17th.  The festival is typically held in August or early September.  There are other Yartung Festivals held in Upper Mustang, the Former Kingdom of Lo.  During our tour of the region, we learned of upcoming festivals in Kegbeni as well as Muktinath.

Riders and Their Horses Assemble For the Afternoon Procession

As I always do prior to committing to a journey, I had researched the Yartung Festival.  Through Google searches I obtained some basic information regarding the celebration and I soon realized that there is a great deal of plagiarism on the Internet.  Various sites were using information "word for word" from a common source.

The festival is held over three days.  The first day is focused or dedicated to "men".  The second day is for "women" with the last day being focused or dedicated to "Monks".

From YOUTUBE, I watched several film clips of the actual festival in Lo Manthang as well as a couple other locales.  For me the highights of the films was the riders of horses demonstrating their bravery, skill, and strength by leaning over on their racing stead to pick up a khata from the ground as they raced by.  Khatas are long silk scarves associated with Tibetan Buddhism that are given at special occasions to people to show love and respect by the people who offer them.  They come in different colors.  White is the most common and symbolizes the pure heart of the giver as well as "peace".  Yellow symbolizes "happiness'.  After seeing the films of the racing and picking up of the khatas, I was very excited about our upcoming tour.

"There is the way that thing are supposed to be and then there is the way that they actually are" - "Allen's World", Allen A Hale


"2. Everything Changes" - the second of Buddhism's Three Universal Truths

 

Riding Fast and Hard In the Evening

We attended and even participated in all days and events of this year's Yartung Festival.  There was no actual horse racing per say during the festival.  In the afternoon of each day there was a mounted procession through the town on the way to the festival grounds to the west of town. In the evening just before the sun went down riders would ride up and down one of the main east/west streets in town.  Although the horses were traveling rapidly along the street, it was not a competition.  The groups of riders reminded me of many evenings that I spent as a child riding bicycles up and down the neighborhood street with my friends - riding for the companionship and the joy of it all - no winners and no losers, just happiness.

For the start of the first day of the festival, the day focused on men, we waited for the start of the afternoon procession at Lo Manthang's main square, just outside of the City Gate.  The main square is not very large but is strategically located close to the King's Palace.  We were informed that the festival would start around 1:00 PM so we arrived at Noon to ensure that we would not miss anything.  We then found out that the procession would start at 2:00 PM.  No matter - we wandered about the small town and enjoyed watching the local people along with their horses preparing for the festival.

Spectators At The City Gate

Based upon my previous walks about the town and anticipating the route of the procession, my wife and I walked down the street and set up to observe the procession in front of the monastery where the procession would have to make a right hand turn.  We were fortunate and had the location all to ourselves.

The 2:00 PM start was actually a 2:45 PM start.  After a vanguard of a small group of fast riders passed, a slow procession of the King and Crown Prince rode by.  The monarchy was abolished by the Nepal government in 2008.  The last official King died in 2016 however the people of Lo Manthang still consider the late King's son to be King.  The Royal Family is highly revered to this day.

The Royal Pocession

After riding through the town, the procession stopped at the intersection of the north main town street and the road leading past the Royal Mustang Resort (recently opened by the Royal Family) eventually going to the fields northwest of town.  A short ceremony was held at the intersection.  Offerings to the King and members of the Royal Procession were given by a small group of women.  The women presented khatas, flowers, food and sang some traditional songs.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, everyone rode or walked up to the festival grounds.

Offering Ceremony on Day 1

At the festival grounds there were three large tents.  The first one that we encountered was surrounded by schoolchildren.  Adults were busy serving lunch to the children.  After eating their meal, the students washed their metal food trays, think metal military plates, in the mountain stream a short distance down and behind the large tent.  The children enjoyed the afternoon socializing and listening to music on a portable PA system.

Horses Resting at Festival Grounds

The next tent was the Royal Tent.  The King, Crown Prince, and other dignitaries were seated inside.  Lesser dignitaries sat outside of the tent on horse blankets and mats.  People entered the tent to pay their respects to the King.  It was all very low key and very relaxed.  You could sit down next to the King and Crown Prince and be photographed - an opportunity that Duang took full advantage of after I had introduced her to the Crown Prince whom I had met last October.  Whether you were photographed or not, everyone was offered hot tea and snacks - cookies and local fried dough treats.
It was a very nice experience.

The last tent was where local officials were relaxing.  We were invited in and served hot tea along with some more snacks.  The people were extremely gracious and friendly.

Preparing Tea and Sncks

After our visits to the tents we headed back to town in order to rest in preparrtion for the scheduled evening ride.

Around 5:00 PM, people walked back into town to witness the riders returning from the festival field and riding along the north main east/west street of the town.  I situated myself on the south side of the street where I could photograph the riders with the local spectators in the background.  I had selected my location well as it turned out.  There was a small alcove in the mud brick/stone wall that ran alongside the street behind me.  There was a pile of dirt and stones to my left.  Several times during the evening rides

It was quite a sight and very exciting watching the horses and riders flying past me left to right followed by right to left.  There was no racing - just the joy and happiness of people celebrating the freedom as well as mobility that the horse had brought to them.  Lo Manthang is a remote destination.  Only recently has there men an auto route from Jomsom to Lo Manthang.  The road requires 4WD vehicles to navigate its curves, water crossings, hills, and mountain passses.  Most of the time we traveled at 10 KPH (6 mph).  Our maximum speed was 22 KPH ( 13 mph).  Due to monsoon conditions, we had to walk part of the way and change vehicles three times to get there.  Prior to the road, people walked or road horses to access Upper Mustang.  Lo Manthang  is on the salt route from Tibet to Kathmandu.  Traders transported salt from Tibet to Nepal and Nepalese goods to Tibet in horse caravans until the combination of low cost salt from India and the Chinese takeover of Tibet eliminated the trade.

The Yartung Festivals celebrate the role and freedom that the horse provides the people of Upper Mustang.  I was not disappointed that there was no competitive racing.  Watching the joy of the local Loba people participating in their festival.  I write "their" festival in the sense that the people were doing it all for their own joy and relaxation rather than putting on a show for the outside world.

Announcing Arrival of King and Queen on Day 2

The second day of the festival was focused on "women" and followed roughly the same schedule as the previous day.  For the start of the afternoon procession, we set up and remained at the main square just outside of the City Gate.  Because the second day is dedicated or focused on women, the Queen participated in the procession.

King and Queen Exit City Gate Into Main Square

After the procession had exited the Main Square, Duang and I walked, more like power walked, a short distance to the main street near our guest house.

The Royal Procession On Day 2

Day 2 Procession

 
Just as on the first day festivities, there was a short ceremony at the intersection of the streets leading up to the festival field.  Offerings were made to the Queen along with others prior to proceeding up to the tents.

Offering Ceremony On Day 2

We followed the procession up to the festival field.  Our first stop was at the Royal Tent where we enjoyed hot tea and more snacks.  Unlike the previous day, there was not a bottle of "Royal Treasure Whiskey" placed in front of the King.  I joked with the King about the missing whiskey and then I told the Queen about the bottle that day before but that the King had not drank any of it.  We all enjoyed a good laugh.  The King ended up having the last laugh ... on me, the next day.

Serving Refreshments At Royal Tent

As Duang and I walked by the large tent in which the Monks (lamas) were relaxing and having refreshments, we were invited to join them.   We entered the tent and paid our respects to the lamas - kneeling on the ground with our hands in front of our chests in the praying position, we then started bend at our waists while our hands spread out to touch the ground  remaing there until our forehead touched the top of them, we then reversed the process so that we were once again in the vertical kneeling position with our hands on our chest in the praying position.  We did this three times.  We then took a seat on the horse blankets placed upon the ground.  We were welcomed by the High Lama and he asked us where we were from and other topics.  We were given Tibetan butter tea in a bowl and some snacks - Tibetan fried dough - sort of like donuts.  They then offered us Coca Cola.

We sat there enjoying our snacks, talking with the holy men and listening to some laymen who broke out into song.  I thought that the song sounded sad and was about loosing their homeland in Tibet.  The High Lama told me that the song was a traditional Tibetan song about wishing people good luck and happiness.  He also told me that when people are singing and you like the way that they are singing , you yell out "Shay Shay" to indicate your appreciation.  Duang was too shy but I let out a couple "Shay Shay"s when the men sang their songs.  After a while, the High Lama said "Now it is your turn.  Time for you to sing"  I thought for a while.  I was taken aback a bit for I had never considered let alone prepared to be singing on the Tibetan Plateau in Upper Mustang for a group of lamas.  I collected my thoughts and sang the 1970s Eagles song "Take It Easy"  There were several shouts of "Shay, Shay" while I was singing.  It was now Duang's turn to sing but she was way too shy to sing.  We were then offered a local alcohol drink - very similar to Ara in Bhutan.  It was even served from a container just like the ones used in Bhutan.  Ara is a distilled liquid made from most likely barley.  It is also similar to a drink here in NE Thailand and Lao - "Lao Lao".  Ara, Chang, or Lao Lao start off as a wine made from rice, corn, millet, or wheat.  It is then distilled in a homemade still over a wood fire.

I accepted the chang which was poured from a wood container that reminded me of a beer stein but without a flip lid on it.  The beverage was poured out of a small spout located at the top of the closed container.  The container had four small lumps of yak butter placed 90 degrees apart along the rim.  The drink was poured into my empty Tibetan Tea bowl.  The man also placed a small lump of the yak butter on the rim of my bowl.  The High Lama then instructed me the proper etiquette to consume the drink. Before drinking, I had to lightly dip my third finger into the bowl, and upon withdrawing my finger from the bowl, I had to flip the liquid on my finger into the air. I had to do this three times as a symbol of making a sacrifice to the sky, the earth and my ancestors.Duang does not drink so she did not participate.  However there was a small shrine in the center of the tent between our seating area and where the lamas were seated.  Duang is a devout Buddhist so she took the opportunity to worship at the shrine.  The shrine obscured our visions of each other.  I broke out into an Ian Tyson song which the lamas seemed to appreciate.  A man came over to refill my bowl with some more Chang.  I looked over to where Duang was worshiping to see if she was watching.  I pantomimed to keep it a secret and not to let her know I was going to have some more.  The Lamas started laughing.  Hearing the laughing, and knowing me all to well, Duang poked her head from behind the shrine to see what I was up to.  I was caught red handed and red faced.  She and I joined the lamas in laughing.

Traditional Dancing At Festival Field

That evening, the combination of so much activity and the 12,000 foot elevation caught up with Duang.  She chose to rest at our guesthouse while I went out to witness the evening rides.  I went back to the same location that I had chosen the evening before.  Everything was going fine.  After a while, all the old ladies across the street started yelling at me and motioning to me to come over to their side of the street.  I ignored them at first but when they did not relent, I crossed over to the other side.  Once on the other side I looked one way and then the other way.  I did not particularly care for the photography angles and background.  I then went back to my original location.  I had no sooner got back to my spot when an out of control horse came galloping down the street headed directly for .... the old ladies!  They all had to scramble and scatter to avoid the horse which the rider did get under control before hitting anyone.  After things had calmed back down, I looked at the reassembled group of old ladies.  I gave them a "WTF?" look, pointed to my head with my right index finger and tapped my right temple three times while moving my head up and down in a knowingly manner.  I then motioned rather strongly for them to come across the street and join me!  They laughed like crazy along with the other people on that side of the street - talk about a special memory!

Day 3 of the festival, the last day, followed the same routine and schedule as the previous two days.  However there one big difference, the monks were riding the horses.  The afternoon procession was a particularly unique photography opportunity - the khenpos were wearing their pandita hats. Khenpos are outstanding religious scholars who are also outstanding teachers as well as exhibiting exemplary conduct and a devotion to helping others.  Pandita hats are the Tibetan Buddhist pointy hats in which the color identifies the sect and stripes, if present, indicate the areas of scholarly expertise.

Lama Afternoon Procession - Day 3

Every day of the festival, we ended up meeting and speaking with young monks.  They spoke English very well.  I am certain that they welcomed the opportunity to learn something about our life in the outside world just as we appreciated and cherished the chance to learn more of theirs'.

When I returned to Thailand and commenced to edit and post-process the thousands of photographs from our tour, I found this special photograph.  It was one of the monks that I had spoken to several times.  I posted the photo on Facebook and the story got even better - he is a Facebook friend!

The last day of the festival was dedicated or focused on the Monks.  I spent quite a bit of time in the Monk tent at the festival field.  There were many student Monks at the festival.  The highlight of the afternoon, for me, was the "athletic competition" that was held in front of the students' Guru.

Paying Respect to Lamas Upon Entering Tent

The student Monks split two teams.  The goal of the competition was to pass a soccer ball between the legs to the person behind you in a sort of a relay race.  Once you passed the pall behind you, you ran to the back of the line.  The winner of the competition was the first team to have their first student return to the front of the line.

There was a competition to see which student could get his monk clothing on the fastest.

Another competition was to see who could dissolve a tootsie roll lollipop the fastest in their mouth.

There was a contest where boys had a balloon tied to their leg.  They then hopped on their one leg attempting to pop the balloon on the leg of the other competitors.  The boy remaining with an inflated balloon was the winner.

The Gurus Watching the Student Competition

There were no prizes or rewards.  The competition was to honor their teachers.  The reward for the competitors was the joy of participation and the fun of competing.

As the afternoon grew late the monks headed back into town.  Many of the students rode down the hill into town in a farm wagon.

Lamas Assembling For Evening Rides Through Town

The Monks riding down from the festival field assembled in a small corral area next to where the afternoon offering ceremony had been held.

For the evening rides, I changed my vantage point.  My guide encouraged me to climb the stairway to the finished second floor of a building that was under construction.  This was a special viewing place for the monks.  Each evening, couches had been placed up there for the Monks to sit and enjoy the rides.  The building was at the end of the street upon which the riders "raced".  It provided a great viewing location and a different perspective for photography.

I made sure that out of respect for the Lamas that I stayed behind them or off to the side.  I enjoyed the location and was enjoying my time up there.

After a while, the King arrived and joined the Lamas.  I took a break from photographing the Monks riding the horses along the street and looked in the direction of the King.  He was looking at me and laughing as the High Lama was also laughing while looking at me while pointing at me.  I suspect they were discussing my singing the day before.  No matter, I smiled and gave them a wave which they returned. 

The Yartung Festival was not what it was supposed to be according to all my research.  However what the festival was actually a wonderful opportunity to see a unique cultural event.  We were able to see and to a certain extent, participate, in a unique cultural event.  We had three days to better understand the life of the Loba people.  Our tour also helped us to begin to understand Tibetan Buddhism.

I did not get all that I wanted but I got more than what I needed.  It was a great trip and an even better life experience.