Tiji Festival Trek

The Tenji (Tiji) festival in annual event native to lomanthang, upper Mustang in Nepal. Tenji festival usually pronounced” Teeji” is the abbreviated from of Tempa chhirim that interprets to” prayer for world peace” Tenji commemorates the success of Buddha’s incarnation.Dhorji sonam over a demon called MA Tam Ru ta, who Waxman eater and who caused storms and droughts to destroy people’s homes and stock. The dance performed by the monks of lomanthang chhyode Gumba during these 3 days Festival enact the harassment of the MA Tam TU Ta, the birth of Dhorji sonam the demon’s son and attempt by Dhorji sonam to come and the demon to Buddha realm. The monks perform a dance called” TSA CHHAM “on the 1st day of the Tenji and “NGA CHHAM”on the second day.

At this time, the Mustang region was still fully closed off to foreigners and he had to get special permission from the govt of Nepal so as to enter the region. Despite his arrival on the last day of the celebration (he was unaware of the observance of Tiji) the experience left an enduring impression on him. “The scenes I witnessed were therefore extraordinary and so surprising that I dared not believe my eyes and even nowadays I actually have some hassle in basic cognitive process within the reality of what I saw that day.”