Festival · Pelling
Pemayangtse Cham (masked dances)
Two days of masked dances in the courtyard of Pemayangtse, Sikkim's leading Nyingma monastery, just before Losar. Monks in brocade and painted masks dance the defeat of evil, and the year's obstacles are symbolically destroyed.
Pemayangtse, 'the perfect sublime lotus', was founded around 1705 by the line of Lhatsun Chempo, one of the three lamas who crowned the first Chogyal at Yuksom in 1642. Its annual cham is held in the last days of the twelfth month of the Tibetan calendar, just before Losar, the Tibetan New Year, so it usually falls in February or early March.
Cham is a ritual, not a performance. Monks wearing masks of protector deities, skeleton dancers and animal-headed figures dance in slow, exact steps to long horns, cymbals and drums. The dances end with an effigy representing the year's evil being cut up and cast out, clearing the way for the new year. Families come from the villages around Pelling and Gyalshing dressed in their best.
The monastery courtyard is small and fills early, so arrive in the morning and expect to stand. Pelling is cold at this time, often 2–10 °C, but February and March also bring some of the clearest Kanchenjunga mornings of the year, so the festival pairs well with a quiet off-season stay.
Tips
- Arrive by 9 am to find a place on the courtyard steps
- Dress warmly and modestly; Pelling mornings in February are close to freezing
- Ask the monastery or your hotel for the exact dates, which follow the lunar calendar
Most hill festivals follow lunar calendars, so dates move each year. Check current status before you travel.
Questions people ask
Good to know
When is the Pemayangtse cham?
The cham is held on the 28th and 29th days of the 12th Tibetan month, just before Losar, which puts it in February or early March. The Gregorian dates change every year. Ask the monastery or a Pelling hotel a few weeks ahead and check current status before you travel.
Is there an entry fee for the Pemayangtse cham?
The monastery charges a small entry fee to visitors on normal days, and festival arrangements can differ. Carry small notes for the entry and for offerings. The dances are religious ceremonies, so keep to the areas where local visitors stand and ask before photographing.
Where should I stay for the Pemayangtse cham?
Stay in Upper Pelling, about 2 km and 30 minutes on foot from the monastery. February is low season, so rooms are cheaper than in October or April, and many budget hotels discount. Ask for a room with a heater or extra blankets, as nights drop close to freezing.
Can I combine the cham with Losar and Bumchu?
Often, yes. Losar starts the day after the cham ends, and Bumchu at Tashiding falls on the 14th–15th of the first month, about two weeks later. A two-week stay between Pelling, Yuksom and Tashiding can take in all three, if the calendar suits. Check current status before you travel.