Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Cham... abolishing the evil forces

The Cham Dance is a vibrant masked and costumed ritual in Buddhism. Associated with Tibetan Buddhism which prospered in the Great Himalayan Mountain Range, it is a religious tradition performed by monks. The ritual is performed for the greater good of humanity, the destruction of bad spirits, and for moral instruction to viewers. The performance is not just a dramatization of the philosophy of ‘good over evil’ but also a ritual offering to the deities of the monastery and the guardians of the faith. Cham Dance appeared as a form of teaching when monks could tell religious stories to spectators. In the early days of developing Buddhism, most of the population was illiterate and printing was expensive. That’s why dance became an important form of not merely entertainment, but also a way of spreading Buddhist teachings and giving blessings.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2022
Date Uploaded: 10.2022
Photo Location: Gangtok, India
Camera: X-T3
Copyright: © Ritwik Ray