The Buddhist chanting of Ladakh is considered a sacred practice for many believers. It expresses the spiritual and ethical well-being of practitioners. The spiritual ritual is performed in groups-men chant traditional dress and use bells, drums, and trumpets on their way to the pilgrimage site. Upon arrival they join other monks and women in prayer and meditation. The activity ends with the chanting of poems dedicated to Gautama Buddha and his teachings. The location and time of the Ladakh monastery are choosing carefully by Buddhist leaders to avoid distractions to the activity.
A large group will come together to chant scriptures at the beginning and end of each prayer session. The location and time selected will coincide with the Buddhist principles of truth and non-violence. The group’s meditative focus is kept small so it can be easier for the monks to meditate without being disturbed by the sounds of vehicles driving by or people speaking outside the monastery compound. The small group setting also ensures that no one is left out of the sacred buddhist texts. Since the chants are in Tibetan, there is no chance they can be translated into English.
There are a few monasteries in Ladakh that house large groups of Buddhist monks. They have been established so that when the monasteries are visited by tourists, they can give the visitors the opportunity to learn about the religious practices of the monks. Since the monks live so far away from their towns, visiting them during regular periods is impossible. To offer visitors a rare chance to see some of these holy places, a group of monks travel to Ladakh every year and makes short visits. Tourists who wish to learn more about the Buddhist sacred buddhist texts can make short trips to these monasteries.
When the sun sets in Ladakh, the monks retreat to their compounds to pray and meditate. This is one way that the sacred buddhist texts are passed on from generation to generation. It is believed that the sun signifies the spirits of ancestors who have passed away. On a dark night, when the sun sets completely, this is when the spirits of the past as well as the present are allowed to visit the compounds where the monks are staying. If they pray and request for the smooth journey of the spirits, it means that they will make it to the monasteries where they are supposed to be resting during the next lifetime.
Since Ladakh was mentioned in the Hindu scripture “Yogic” during the time of the king Yama, the country of Kashmir also has its resident deities. The most popular jams and Kashmiri deities are Lord Karthikeyan, Chardham Yati, Moghulaka Jain and Daledar Jain. All these are respected by the people of Kashmir and they are considered as the embodiment of the divine essence in Kashmir. When the devotees of jammu and Kashmir go to their lamas, they fast and take leave of their days for the coming festivities. They are believed to fast in order to purify their soul and to visit the holy places.
The Buddhist chanting of Ladakh is not only meant for the monks alone but also for the people of the region. Many times during the festival of Buddha Jayanti, the entire region of Ladakh comes alive with the sound of the temple doors bellowing out the sacred mantra of Buddha. The people of the region are so excited by this that they even decorate their houses with the flowers, cloths and other objects used in the ceremony of Buddha Purnima.
In order to get to know about the Buddhist chanting of Ladakh, it would be important to know what exactly is the religion all about. Basically, buddhistism is an Indian religion that believes in the existence of a supreme being who founded the universe. The beings called the “Buddhas” are revered for their good deeds performed towards humanity and are worshipped. It is believed that the Buddha built the first monasteries in the world and taught the monks how to live peacefully and without harming others. Monasteries are the place where you will find bodhicitta, or ethical teachings, being passed down from one generation to the other.
The Buddhist chanting of Ladakh is very essential during the auspicious occasion of Buddha Purnima. The main deity that is worshiped during the occasion is the “Buddha”, which is considered the most popular deity among the Buddhists. The Buddhist monks, following the lead of their religion, chant mantras that are rich in meaning, words and musical beats. If you want to experience the ceaseless joy of the festival season in your region, then you must definitely plan to visit the Buddhist region of Ladakh, which is the location of Buddha Puja. In addition to that, there are also many other tourist attractions available in and around this region of Himachal Pradesh, which will definitely enhance your holiday experience in this part of India.