Thursday, 7th April: On Wednesday, TIPA initiated its 25th Tibetan Shoton Festival which celebrates Tibetan Opera from April 6 to 13 here at Dharamshala. Shoton translates to “yogurt banquet” in Tibetan. Tibetan artists perform traditional operas throughout the event, and prominent monasteries showcase enormous Thangkas – Buddha paintings.  The ShoDun Festival commonly known as the Yogurt Festival or Banquet is an annual festival held at Norbulingka in Lhasa. Since exile, Tibetans celebrate the festival at TIPA in Dharamshala. Tibetan opera is one of Tibet’s ten sciences. Along with poetry, composition, and other minor sciences, it is classified as one of the five minor sciences.

On this 25th Shoton Festival, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, together with the Special Guest, 7th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, Shri Jambey Wangdi (Arunachal Pradesh’s Chairman of Religion and Cultural Affairs), attended the opening ceremony of the week-long event as the principal guest.

Following the welcome of guests, TIPA’s acting director Samten Dhondup gave a presentation to the Tibetan people of Dharamshala and troupes gathered at the location about the origins of Shoton Festival and its following developments.

Apart from the Communist Party of China’s attempts to eradicate Tibetan identity, Mr. Samten Dhondup stated that under the energetic leadership of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, we have managed to preserve this heritage of opera in its genuine form throughout the last 63 years.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering spoke briefly about sage Thangtong Gyalpo. Thangtong Gyalpo known by many names including Chakzampa, the “Iron Bridge Maker”, and Tsöndrü Zangpo “Excellent Persistence” was the pioneer of Tibetan opera (Ache Lhamo), he is highly recognized for his social services in the 14th century. Sikyong Stressed that Thangtong Gyalpo’s generosity should be reflected over simply enjoying the performances.

Sikyong went on to explain His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s contribution to the preservation of Tibetan opera, as well as asking for new ways to pass on opera stories to future generations. Sikyong, who emphasized the preservation of Tibetan opera and other Tibetan traditions in general, ensured facilitation from CTA while also urging Tibetans to participate in the preservation and promotion of Tibetan cultures.

The eight Tibetan troupes that the 7th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche presented as icons of Thangtong Gyalpo would perform their separate opera storylines in the following days.

25th Shoton Festival’s Program Schedule:

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