Culture and history · Tashiding
Bumchu night with the pilgrims
Once a year Tashiding's monks open a sealed vase of sacred water and read the coming year from its level. Join thousands of pilgrims from Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan for the night of prayers, the reading and the blessing, and come prepared for crowds.
Bumchu means 'sacred vase', and the festival is held on the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, which usually falls in February or March. Exact dates move each year with the lunar calendar, so check them well ahead. Pilgrims start arriving a day or two before, filling the village, the roads from Legship and Yuksom, and the hill itself, many of them families who have travelled from across Sikkim, Darjeeling, Nepal and Bhutan.
At the heart of the festival, monks open the vase, which has been sealed through the year, and examine the water. The folk reading is simple: a full vase means plenty, a low level means scarcity, and murky water warns of trouble. The result is announced to the crowd and quickly spreads through the hills. Some of the water is then shared out to pilgrims as a blessing, and the vase is sealed again until the next year.
Expect crowds, long waits, cold nights and very little personal space. Book a room weeks ahead, or stay in Yuksom or Pelling and come in early on the main day, as jeeps fill up and roads jam. Carry warm layers, food, water and a torch, and keep valuables close. Follow the directions of volunteers and monks, do not push for the blessing, and remember this is a religious occasion first; photography of rituals may be restricted.
Cost: Free · rooms ₹1,500–3,000 pp, book early
Questions people ask
Good to know
When is the Bumchu festival at Tashiding?
Bumchu is held on the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which usually falls in February or March. The Western dates change every year. Check the current year's dates with Sikkim Tourism, a local agent or your hotel before booking, and arrive a day early if you can.
Can tourists attend Bumchu?
Yes. Visitors of any faith are welcome to attend, as long as they behave respectfully. Dress modestly, follow the crowd's clockwise flow, keep your voice down during rituals and do not push for the blessing. Foreign nationals need the Sikkim Restricted Area Permit. Photography of some rituals may be restricted, so ask volunteers or monks.
Where should we stay for Bumchu?
Rooms in Tashiding fill weeks ahead with pilgrims, so book early, expect simple homestays and lodges, and expect prices a little above normal. Otherwise stay in Yuksom, about an hour away, or Pelling, 1.5–2 hours away, and reach Tashiding early in the morning before the roads jam with jeeps.
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