Hemis Tsechu
Buddhist festival · Hemis (Ladakh), India
The festival
The monastery of Hemis, the largest in the Ladakh, was re-established in 1672 under King Sengge Namgyal and attached to the Drukpa Kagyu School. It is the home of the most famous Buddhist festival in the Indian Himalayas every year. Hemis Tsechu honours the birth of Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), which introduced Tantric Buddhism into the region in the eighth century.
For two days, in the courtyard of the monastery, the monks perform the sacred Ham dances in silk costumes and masks of deities and demons, with the sound of the tubes and drums, in front of thousands of Ladakhi pilgrims and travellers. The festival falls on the 10th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar: June 24–25 in 2026, July 13–14 announced for 2027 by the calendars of the festivals of Ladakh.
Good to know
Dates fixed by the Tibetan lunar calendar; the dates 2027 (13–14 July) come from the calendar of Ladakh festivals published by local operators and offices — to be reconfirmed as the edition approaches.