Once every twelve years, in the fifth lunar month of the Monkey year, half a million people from across the Himalayas gather in Ladakh, India, to celebrate Naropa’s life in one of the largest events of the decade. Also known as the “Kumbh Mela of Himalayas,” this month-long festival includes several rare cultural events that are believed to grant spiritual liberation upon sight. This includes the ceremonial unfurling of one of the greatest regional treasures – an ancient silk embroidery of Guru Padmasambhava that stretches to several stories in height, a beloved devotional art piece which is only ever displayed to public audiences during the Naropa festivities.
The Naropa events also mark the largest assembly of Drukpa masters and includes cultural performances by prominent Himalayan artists representing the wider Drukpa community. The culminating event is the display of the famed sacred Six Bone Ornaments belonging to Naropa, the 11th century Indian saint, by His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Order. The Six Bone Ornaments are amongst the holiest treasures of the Himalayas, and are the symbolic origin of many of the foundational practices of Himalayan Buddhism.
The Naropa events are considered unmissable by the hundreds of thousands who attend.
For further information please visit www.naropa2016.org
In accordance with the wishes of His Holiness, Drubpön Ngawang, His representative in Europe, is organising a group tour to Ladakh to celebrate Naropa 2016. Drukpa UK is happy to assist with the registration for this – please contact us for further information and booking form
