Naropa 2016 - the Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas and the story of Six Bone Ornaments

Naropa 2016 is the largest Buddhist festival in the Himalayas abd is expected to be attended by over half a million devotees over a week-full of festivities. Due to the sheer scale and size of the event, it's also often referred to as 'Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas'.

Naro Palace

Here is a short story behind the celebration so the festival - an Indian scholar and Saint, Naropa, is credited to have started the rich tradition of Buddhist Philosophy which is prevalent over much of Himalayan region. His teaching of the Six Yogas of Naropa are one of the fundamental pillars of Vajrayana Buddhist tradition. He was offered the Six Bone Ornaments by the Dakinis upon his enlightenment. From that moment onward these ornaments have been used a relic of devotional support. Now every 12 years, on the rooftop of the Himalayas, His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa dons the Six Bone Ornaments.

The event this year is even more significant because it commemorates the thousand birth anniversary of Naropa. It started on the 16th of September and will continue till the 22nd of September. I was one of the privileged few who were invited to cover the event and here's my personal account of the festival.

My experiences at Naropa 2016

We were already a little late by the time we reached Naro Palace, the location of Naropa 2016, and the place was pregnant with expectations of what was to come next. With thousands of Buddhist devotees from across the world, including Hollywood celebrities like Michelle Yeoh, we too are swept in the festivities soon enough.

Buddhist monks attending the prayers

Thousands of devotees catching every word of Naropa

A local Ladakhi woman praying

The praying monk...

Our welcome with some Ladakhi music

I have been to the Mahakumbh Mela at Allahabad in 2013, but this was different. The poise and restraints that often define the demeanour of Buddhist across the world were also reflected here. All the devotees sat patiently in the punishing sun, yet all you could feel was a sense of deep devotion. I was without any food since morning, but there was far too much happening even before the His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa walked into the ceremony, that food seemed much less important.

Brief introduction: His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa

His holiness Gyalwang Drukpa

For those of of you who don't about His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa, here's a short introduction. He is revered across the world by the Buddhists as the authentic reincarnation of Naropa. He is also a world renowned humanitarian, author, environmentalist, and champion of gender equality. He also initiated the live to Love movement that encourages communities to use kindness and wisdom to heal the modern world's challenges. His Holiness dons the Six Bone Ornaments every twelve years as part of the Naropa celebrations.

Getting back to the story, soon it was announced that His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa would be reaching the Naro Palace leading a procession on foot from Hemis monastery which is about three kms away. With much festivity he walked up to the stage and officially opened the event. This was followed by the chanting of the Holy mantras and many other important Buddhist ceremonies. Being a non-Buddhist, I couldn't understand much but it was impossible not be a part of the crowd as it joined their guru in the chantings and prayers. As part of the tradition, His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa also donned the Six Bone Ornaments during the ceremony.

A monk deep in devotion

Prayer session going on at the Naro Palace

His Holiness Gyalwang Drukpa with Governor NN Vohra

Around noon the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, N N Vohra, joined in as well. I had never been a part of the press entourage which gets so close to an important official like him, so took some pictures as well. This was followed by the unveiling of the ornaments of the six bones to the public at the Naro Palace. On the first day the exhibit was accessible only to the dignitaries, and from 17th September (day 2) it was going to be open to public, day and night, without any break.

The six bone ornaments include crown, earrings, necklace, seralkha, bangle and ankle, and they represent the inner spirituality developed qualities.

Cultural programs at Naropa 2016

A bit delayed already, this was quickly followed by cultural performances which went on till the evening. Artists from different regions performed including Bhutan, Ladakh and other Buddhist lands. My exposure to the Buddhist culture of Leh has been quiet limited so I made the most of it this time. Most of these performances were simply a feast for the eyes, and I loved every bit of it. In a way I was also learning something new about my own country by just being there.

A Ladakhi dance performance

The Naro Palace made for a perfect backdrop for the event

A Ladakhi man dancing his heart out! 

A gorgeous Ladakhi woman dressed for a performance 

A group musical performance 

Here is a short video with some music and dance from Ladakh and beyond :)



I took a short break from all the performances to eat my lunch and joined the press conference with Michelle Yeoh. She was humble and absolutely down to earth and answered all our questions with seriousness as well as a bit of humour. She is also a part of Live to Love initiative and you can read more about the work of the organisation here and join them as a volunteer. They have chapters across the world, including countries like UK, USA, Germany, France, Peru and India.

If you are at the venue you don't have to spend all the time at the Naro Palace. Feel free to walk around in accessible areas, and do walk up to the Hemis monastery, which is about 3km away. It's a bit tiring to walk in the sun so plan the trip early morning or late afternoon.

As the evening fell, I was tired, yet content. I had been a part of something so important that I could only bless my stars. I must be found something right in my life to be here...

Goodbye time...

More about the Naropa 2016

Location
Naro Palace, Hemis, Ladakh, India

Dates
16th to 22nd September 2016

Highlights of the schedule for Naropa 2016

Pre-event 
13-14 September - the 7th annual Drukpa Council, the world's largest assembly of Drukpa masters.

15th September - teachings by Drukpa masters from Himalayas and Drukpa nuns from Ladakh.

Main event
16th September - His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa dons the Six Ornaments of Naropa – which are said to provide ‘liberation on sight’ to all those who witness it.

17th September - Public Display of Six Bone Ornaments.

18th September - Rare opportunity to learn about the teachings of the Lineage disseminated by Drukpa Masters themselves.

19th September - Unfurling of silk Thangka of Buddha Amitabha – the largest silk brocade in the Himalayas.

20th September - 50 stanzas on Guru Devotion by His Holiness the 12thGyalwang Drukpa.

21st September - Performance by Shakti Mohan (winner, Dance India Dance) with local students.

22nd September - Closing ceremony with 1 lakh Ganachakra offering.

Post-event
23rd September - the 8th eco padyatra will start from the Chemdrey to the renowned prediction lake in Ladakh.

Read another interesting post on the same festival: Naropa Millennium Anniversary Celebration

How to reach for Naropa 2016

Leh is well connected with flights from Delhi. From Leh Hemis is 40km away and from there the journey takes about an hour and half.

Leh is also reachable by road from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Manali in Himanchal Pradesh. The journey from both the routes is breathtakingly beautiful and adventurous but takes time.

Naro Palace in the late afternoon light...

Tips for stay in Leh

Leh is located at an altitude is 11,000 feet and Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS) is not uncommon here. Do take precautions and make sure you rest on your first day to acclimatize to the cold and lesser oxygen levels before you do anything stressful.

Also drink as much water as possible while you are here, if helps in fighting AMS. You can also take Diamox tablets (Acetazolamide) if you get early symptoms like headache. Visit a doctor if you feel unwell anytime during this stay here.

Phones and Internet 
In Leh only post-paid mobile connections work, and Internet services are a bit patchy. Some networks, like Vodafone, don't work most of the time, though at times of works as Aircel. No mobile network for Vodafone users. Airtel, on the other hand, works much better, even better than BSNL.

Many hotels have WiFi available, but it may not always work. Some cafes in the city market have free WiFi too, and there are cyber cafes as well (a rarity in other parts of India already).

Read more tips about travel to Ladakh here.

For further reading about the teaching of Six Yogas of Naropa, this is an excellent source.

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Naropa 2016 - the biggest #Buddhist Festival of the Himalayas! https://t.co/NbOcYY2pnR #Naropa2016 #Ladakh #Naropa pic.twitter.com/uXHxJHxdGq

— Siddhartha Joshi (@sid_travel) September 19, 2016

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Disclaimer: As already mentioned, I was in Ladakh on invitation to attend the Naropa 2016 festivities and share my experiences on the blog. All views expressed are unbiased and based on my own personal experiences.