Colour, beats and rhythm of the Tawang festival in Arunachal
Oct 22, 2016 14:07 IST
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Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is hosting a three-day cultural festival called the Tawang Festival (Oct 21-23). Men dance during the opening ceremony on October 21, 2016. (AFP)
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The festival has been designed to promote tourism and showcase the culture and traditions of the district in particular, and the state in general. (AFP)
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Fairs and festivals have always been an integral part of the indigenous communities of the state. A local woman wearing traditional dress poses during the opening ceremony. (AFP)
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The festival will include Buddhist religious functions, traditional monastic dances, indigenous games and sports, exhibition of handloom and handicrafts, film and documentaries, traditional fashion parade, food festival and flower show, live shows and other cultural programmes. (AFP)
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Tawang is spectacularly beautiful though it rarely figures in the tourists’ maps. (AFP)
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It is surrounded by beautiful glacial lakes with crystal-clear waters. Men in traditional dress look on during the opening ceremony. (AFP)
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The inhabitants of Tawang are called Monpas. Men do the snow lion dance during the festival. (AFP)
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Tawang comes from two words in local Monpa dialect -- Ta (horse) and Wang (green pastures). (AFP)
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The local legend says that once in the 17th century, a Tibetan monk Mera Lama saw a beautiful horse wandering in the valley. Struck by its beauty, he tried to capture it but the horse disappeared. Buddhist monks performing at the festival. (AFP)
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While searching for the animal, the monk noticed how serene the valley was and decided to build a monastery. The town came up around it. This monastery is said to be the second largest in Asia after the one in Lhasa. (AFP)
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The chief attraction is its 28-feet high golden statue of Buddha. A Buddhist monk looks on... (AFP)
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A dance performance enthrals viewers at the festival. (AFP)
