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    Tiji Festival 2022 All you need to know about Tiji Festival celebrated in Upper Mustang

    Balaram Thapa
    Balaram ThapaUpdated: Feb 1st 2023  |  Festival

    Tiji Festival is a celebratory event, observed in the Mustang locale of Nepal. Consistently, the celebration is commended among loved ones with others from various towns of Mustang. The celebration is praised in Lo Manthang which is otherwise called the capital of Lo Kingdom. The ceremony is commended for 3 whole days sequentially. To praise this auspicious moment, individuals living in various parts of Mustang strolls for a considerable length of time to Lo Manthang so they can commend this favorable event with their loved ones. It is a party that brings bliss, brightness, and hope in the more promising time to come for the occupants of Mustang and the locale of the region. Different customs and ceremonies are performed during the celebrations which are entirely fascinating to look for the individuals who are new to such things. Tiji Festival is a blissful ceremony that shows the social personality of Nepal.

    A prologue to Tiji Festival

    The original of the Tiji celebration celebrated in Lo Manthang, Mustang is Tenpa Chihi Rimdo, which represents the adoration directed to thrive the lessons of Buddha on the planet by enslaving the wicked spirits. Afterward, it was called Tenchi Rimdo by the convention of condensing however later it got undermined and came to be known as Tiji. In the antiquated time, it used to be commended in the initial month of the lunar schedule in the long stretch of February yet at present in the third month of the Tibetan Lunar, which falls in May.

    The chronicles identified with the Tiji celebration notice that this celebration was started by the eighth King (Gyalpo) Samdrub Rabten of Mustang when the Sakya Trijin Ngawang Kunga Sonam came to Mustang accepting his invitation in around 1650 AD. This celebration was named in the past as Phur Dog meaning the removal of negatives through Kila (Phurba-blade). Tiji is praised two times every year: one for people in general in the long stretch of May and one for Lamas (priests) of Chosde Monastery in the period of Bhadra (according to Nepali schedule).

    For what reason is the Tiji Festival celebrated?

    According to the folklore, it is accepted that Dorje Jono battled his insidious dad who wanted to devastate the realm of Mustang and to spread the detestable spirits in the towns. Dorje Jono valiantly battled his satanic father and prevailed the triumph upon him. Also, spared the Kingdom of Mustang from the dry spell and other misfortunate occurrences. Tiji recounts the account of how Dorje Jonu fights against his evil spirit father to spare the Kingdom of Mustang from decimation. The evil presence of father unleashes destruction on Mustang by making a shortage of water intentioning to cause drought, which, in this amazingly arid land, is the most valuable life-continuing asset. Dorje Jono inevitably overcomes the devil and expels him from the land.

    How is this Festival Celebrated?

    The festival is finished with the arrangement of occasions and exhibitions. The open celebration is commended for 3 days sequentially. One of the fundamental features of the celebration is the veil move and its lord is known as Dorje Jono. Before coming into the open occasion, he needs to finish a retreat of a quarter of a year in the religious community. Dorje Jono goes to the open Tiji service and performs different ceremonial dances by leading the group of Lamas from Chosde Monastery of Lo Manthang is a traditional face mask.

    The main ritualistic ceremony is centered on the subduing of the devil/evils by Dorje Sonnu/ Dorje Phurba (Vakra Kumara/Vajra Kila). This act of subduing the evil forces and protecting the territory is the major event of the ceremony through the permed dances. This ceremony lasts for three days with one-day prior preparation by making tromps in Tampa Lhakhang. On this preparation day, all the delegates of the seven villages of Lo collectively known as Lo Tho Dun gather at Tampa Lhakhang and contribute to the preparation of the tormas necessary for the celebration of the Tiji festival.

    On the primary day of festivity, they unfurl the enormous thangka of Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche on the mass of the castle of Lo Manthang Mustang. The Lopa people group of Lo Tho Dun watch the celebration with conventional regard for the social image by indicating appreciation to the thanka. After this, the lamas perform the preliminary dances in front of the people of Mustang. This goes on for two or three hours and they perform one set of dance.

    On the second day, the main function is stifling the evil spirits by Dorje Jono in front of the crowd. The master of dance leads other people from the mask dance and they play out the re-sanctioning of different dances known as Dungmar and Cheddar. This is the main day of the profound festival of this celebration.

    On the third day, the Choho enslaves the Mara with the phurba in this way it is called Phur Dok. After this, the ruler leads the parade following the movement of the Choho (master of dance), every one of them goes to close by spots and toss the evil represented in Norma. They perform ceremonies at three purposes of the area of the detestable spirits as chosen by the Choho lastly annihilate the spiteful power at the most remarkable place and devastate the term emblematically. This action emblematically represents evil and the negative powers are discarded for the foundation of the lessons of Buddha and the spread of Buddhism in this area.

    This is the living elusive legacy of the entire Himalayan territory. The lamas of Chodse Monastery play out mask dance and they play out a similar dance for the lamas in the religious community in the fifth month of the lunar schedule inside the monastery. Tiji is the festival and the reaffirmation of this legend. All through the celebration the occasions and story of the fantasy are re-instituted.

    The celebration is coordinated to match with the finish of the dry season (pre-spring/spring) and introduces the wetter storm season. As of now referenced above, it is a multi-day custom known as "the pursuit of the devils". Focused on the Tiji Myth celebrated in Mustang.

    Individuals accumulate in their homes and appreciate the banquet by praising the cheerful celebration of destroying evil. They eat their traditional dishes, drink, and dance and sing melodies and make the most of their best among the communities by meeting physically and socially to celebrate this auspicious ceremony. This celebration is primarily about depicting the notable fight between Dorje Jono and his detestable father through mask dance so the lamas perform the ritualistic dance and the individuals watch this artistic depiction.

    What are the dates for the festival of the Tiji celebration for 2022?

    The dates for the festival of the Tiji celebration for 2022 are 27, 28, and 29 of May.

    On the whole, Tiji Festival is a perfect opportunity to observe the great festivity that represents the social norms and rites of the Himalayan region of Nepal. So come along and be a part of this grand festivity through our Mustang Tiji Festival Trek. And experience the arid valleys and stunning landscapes of Mustang while being socially accustomed to their authentic customs. It gives you the pleasure to experience trekking in Nepal at the same time tasting the wonderful cultures of Nepal.

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