Shoton Festival in Dharmashala

By Kusang

Dharamsala: Like every year, This year Dharamsala is set to host a Shoton Festival at Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, where Opera group from various Tibetan settlements will gather. It is set to begin on 27th of this month.

It is said that His eminence Karmapa will preside on the first day of the Festival as H.H. the Dalai Lama won't be able to make appearance at the festival due to hectic schedule.

On the first day, as the offering from all the various opera troup, they will perform a bit of the each opera for about one hour each.

"Shoton" in Tibetan means sour milk banquet. As Tibetan operas are performed and Buddha paintings are exhibited at this time, it is also called "Tibetan Opera Festival" or "Buddha Exhibition Festival." The traditional way of starting the Shoton Festival is to show Buddha paintings. The main contents include Tibetan operas and gala parties, as well as wonderful yak racing and horsemanship display. The Shoton Festival initially starts on the 30th day of the 6th month according to Tibetan calendar (usu. later half of August) and lasts five days. but due to weather condition and heavy rainfall in Dharmsala, it holds normally in the month of march.

Last two years, Shoton Festival has not been performed, to mark the condolence, as many died in Tibet in 2008 uprising.