THE PROSTRATION FESTIVAL

Far away from the maddening rush, up above the clouds echos in the upper Himalayan mountains the mystic sound - "OM MANE PADME HUM". Kalpana Chatterjee is one of those lucky travelers who experienced this beautiful festival in Ladakh.

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Hundreds of Buddhists in Ladakh perform mass prostrations to mark the first sermon by Lord Buddha. Gochak is celebrated during the first fifteen days of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which Buddhists in Ladakh follow. It is believed that Lord Buddha turned the first wheel of his sermons around this time. It is considered one of the most sacred fortnights of the year; it sees Buddhists moving from one village to another, traversing nearly 50 miles by prostrating at every few steps. (About 108 along with recitations of OM MANE PADME HUM confirmed one of the participants.)

The ritual is practiced to consciously makean effort toward overpowering the sense of self. People (men, women and children) leave their homes in freezing temperatures leave their homes at the break of the day and begin the journey. This ritual has been taking place since ancient times seeking world peace and prosperity. It's not just for oneself but for the entire humanity".