Caption: Pemagantse, Sikkim, India - Feb 2003. Devotees give offerings of money and silk karta scarves during the closing ceremony of the annual Bumch
Caption: Pemagantse, Sikkim, India - Feb 2003. Devotees give offerings of money and silk karta scarves during the closing ceremony of the annual Bumchu Masked Dance Festival at Pemagantse Monastery, in Sikkim. Held immediately before the Tibetan Losar, or New Year, the festival is designed to cleanse the society of any karma or evil presences accumulated through the year. Unfolding over three days, dances peformed by monks and lamas reenact mythological tales describing the eternal battle between good and evil. Bad spirits, evil thoughts and evil motivations are summoned into the playing field of the monastery, where they are transformed into a dough human figure -usually shaped as a woman- and then brutally destroyed. Evil being destroyed, the last day and closing ceremony is reserved for blessing and prayer. Credit: Leisa Contact: Legal Notice: Any use of this picture is subject to a license agreement entered into by the user and AsiaWorks Photography Ltd. All other rights reserved. Any re-use and redistribution of this image is prohibited. For sales enquiries regarding any additional use of this or other pictures from AsiaWorks Photography please contact
Size: 5340px × 3510px
Photo credit: © Leisa Tyler / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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