Karma Dunba/Shower Festival

Karma Dunba is an important Tibetan Buddhist festival, particularly celebrated in the Kham region of Tibet and among Tibetan communities in India and Nepal. The festival is primarily dedicated to honoring the teachings of Karma Pa, the spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage, one of the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The festival typically takes place during the Tibetan New Year period or in the 10th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. Karma Dunba is characterized by its emphasis on ritual prayers, meditation, and offerings to the Karma Pa and other revered figures of Tibetan Buddhism. It serves as an occasion for spiritual renewal, devotion, and reflection on the teachings of the Buddha.

A key element of the festival includes the Cham dances, where monks perform ritualistic dances to ward off evil spirits and bring peace and prosperity. The festival is a vibrant expression of Tibetan Buddhist faith and cultural heritage, fostering community unity and devotion.

It is believed when the sacred planet Venus appears in the sky, the water in the river becomes purest and cures diseases. During its appearance for one week, usually the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth lunar months, all the people in Tibet go into the river to wash away the grime of the previous year.