This festival was started by Ladakh royals. Dosmoche is celebrated every year in February with great enthusiasm in Leh, Likir monasteries.
It is a two-day annual festival where the Lamas from Takthok Monastery (the only remaining Nyingmapa school monastery) who are experts in astrology and tantric practices prepare the complex thread crosses to capture evil spirits.
It is the major object of offering that traps all evil spirits, starving ghosts and demonic forces at the time of recitation of prescribed mantras by Lamas. Ten other types of offerings, of various shapes and sizes, also complement the main offering. These are carried from the main venue and the main bazaar.
The sacrificial offerings are burnt. The destruction with great fanfare signifies washing away all evil spirits. Thus, it is believed that by doing so, people will be protected from natural calamities in the coming year.
People shop and this is the time of the year when you actually see a lot of local people from Leh who gather together and shop play cards, tombola and it's like a Mela and festival which is mostly enjoyed by local people and you won't find any tourist in this season and festival.
I asked few local people about their experience and they were like we have the best two days of the year during this festival, they said we play Tambola, we gamble money and we get everything discounted so we shop and gift a lot.
Thousands of people gather for the Dosmoche Festival at Likir Monastery
