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| GU-STOR
FESTIVAL |
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| Celebrated in
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Ladakh, JK |
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| Feature :
Victory Over Evil |
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| In the month
of :
July, August, Jan, Oct, Nov. |
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| The victory of the Black
Hat dancers over evil |
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Karsha : 13, 14 Jul. 1996, 1, 2 Aug. 1997,
21,22 Jul. 1998, 11, 12 Jul, 1999.
Spituk : 18, 19 Jan. 1996, 7, 8, Jan, 1997, 26, 27 Jan, 1998, 15, 16, Jan 1999
Thiksay : 29, 30 Oct. 1996, 17, 18 Nov. 1997, 6, 7 Nov. 1998, 27, 28 Oct, 1999.
Gu-Stor literally means ' Sacrifice of the 29th day'. It is traditional to the
monasteries of the reformist Geluk-pa order of Tibetan Buddhism. This two - day
long festival is held mainly in the Spituk, Thiksay and Karsha (Zanskar)
monasteries, at different times every year. |
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| The celebration ends with the dismemberment
and dispersal of the 'Storma' (sacrificial cake) by the leader of the Black Hat
dancers in a ceremony called 'Argham' or ' Killing', This symbolises the
destruction of all forms of evil. And also re-enacts the assassination of the
Tibetan apostate King Lang-dar-ma, by a Buddhist monk in the mid 9th century.
In some monasteries, an effigy symbolising the stronger forces of evil is burnt
at the end of the festival. The masks worn by the dancers represent the
guardian divinities (Dharmapalas) of the Buddhist pantheon, and the patron
divinities of the Geluk-pa order.
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