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Fifteenth Shoton festival from Saturday

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

An artiste from Nepal Lhamo (Tibetan Opera) troupe seen during tea break as artistes prepare for the 15th Shoton festival commencing from Saturday at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, Mcleod Ganj, India, on 25 March 2010.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

The stage is all set for the 15th annual Shoton (Tibetan Opera) festival commencing from Saturday at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in Dharamshala.

About 350 exile Tibetan artistes representing nine different opera groups from Bylakuppe, Kalimpong, Mundgod, Orissa, Nepal, Mussoorie, Mainpat and Bhandara have converged at TIPA to perform in the 10-day festival.

The Karmapa will be the chief guest for the opening of the festival. A brief performances from each group will be performed on the opening day.

Unlike the previous years, the different groups will perform at six different schools around Dharamshala. The closing of the festival on 6 April will be held again at TIPA.

A thrilled Lhamo or Opera master Sonam Phuntsok of TIPA said that Lhamo has improved over the years. “I am specially happy to see many youngsters in different groups.”

Sonam attributed the improvement to the efforts and initiative of the Dalai Lama. “His Holiness has not only contributed monetary funds, but has also encouraged people at all level to improve the Lhamo performance.”

An artiste from Mundgod Opera group Tenzin Lhundup, the winner of the ‘Best Opera Singer’ in the Tibetan Music Awards 2009, said that the idea to tour different schools is very encouraging. He said the students will see and understand the beauty of the Tibetan performing arts.

Shoton is the transliteration of two Tibetan words which mean ‘Yoghurt Banquet’. The festival originated at Drepung Monastery in Tibet in the 17th century, as a celebration to mark the end of the monks’ hundred-day summer retreat.

The festival includes performances of dances, chants and songs combining to form Ache Lhamo (Tibetan Opera). The repertoire is drawn from Buddhist stories and Tibetan history.

The Ache Lhamo is attributed to a 14th century Tibetan yogi and a bridge builder Thang Tong Gyalpo. He formed a group of performers to raise funds for building bridges in Tibet. Ache Lhamo has since been performed as a part of Shoton festival. Other activities during the festival include revealing the giant thangka (Tibetan Buddhist spiritual paintings), yak and horse races and folk art performances.

Shoton was first revived in exile in 1995.

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