Do you know about the Kumbh Mela of Himalayas?

Q.  A festival held once in 12 years is being celebrated in Ladakh since 16th September. What is it called:
- Published on 21 Sep 16

a. Naropa Festival
b. Kumbh Mela of Himalayas
c. Both of the above
d. Neither of the above

ANSWER: Naropa Festival
 
Do you know about the Kumbh Mela of Himalayas?A once in 12 years festival of Buddhist culture, tradition and spirituality commenced on 16th September 2016 at the Hemis monastery of Drukpa lineage in Ladakh region, India
  • Festival will conclude on 22nd September
  • Monks, devotees and tourists reached Ladakh for the Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas, the Naropa Festival
  • This drew large number of Buddhists
  • Most were from the Drukpa branch practiced in Ladakh and Bhutan
  • Dancers in silk costumes and traditional gear performed to drum as well as pipe music as part of the mountain festival to celebrate 1000th birth anniversary of Buddhist saint Naropa.
  • A 60 foot tall silk embroidery brocade of Buddha Amitabha was also launched on 19th Sept 2016
  • 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, spiritual head of the 1000 year old Drukpa Order based in Himalayan town unfurled the brocade thanks amidst chanting of prayers
  • Special stand was erected at Naropa palace to display this thanks, said to be the world’s largest silk embroidered thanka or brocade
  • Naropa was an Indian Buddhist Mahasiddha saint and a contemporary of Atisa, a Buddhist Bengali leader and spiritual master
  • He was born in a high status Brahman family of Bengal and entered the Buddhist University at Nalanda in his 20s to study Sutra and Tantra
  • He was given the title of Guardian of the North Gate and was a disciple of Tilopa; he was also a pupil of Niguma
  • Hemis Monastry is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Drukpa Lineage located in Ladakh’s Hemis hamlet
  • Monastery has existed since the 11th century and is the abode of Saint Naropa
  • Monastery was re-established in 1672 by Ladakh’s King Sengge Namgyal

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