Tiji Festival

Tiji festival is a three-day festival held annually in Lo Manthang, Upper Mustang, usually in May. It reenacts the story of an incarnation of the Buddha, Dorjee Sonam, who confronts and defeats a demon named Man Tam Ru, believed to have terrorized the kingdom with storms, droughts, and other calamities.

• Day 1: The monks perform Tsa Cham, a masked dance that narrates the birth and incarnation of Dorjee Sonam and the beginning of the demon’s tyranny.
• Day 2: They enact Nga Cham, depicting the struggle between Dorjee Sonam and Man Tam Ru.
• Day 3: The final dance, Rha Cham, celebrates the triumph of Dorjee Sonam over the demon and its expulsion from Mustang’s realm.

During Tiji, monks don vibrant costumes and masks and carry out rituals intended to drive out negative forces. The festival is organized by the Choedhe Monastery, which is part of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.