Tiji Festival: This is What The Mysterious Hidden Behind
Traveling is a better way to explore cultures, traditions, and ways of life. Nepal is not only a country in the Himalayas but also a nation where you can learn about lifestyles, traditions, and festivals. The culture and traditions of Nepalis in the high Himalayas are pretty similar to those of Tibet. The Tiji festival is a renowned celebration in Upper Mustang, Nepal. It is one of the most famous festivals in the Himalayas of Nepal. Lo-man thang is a forbidden kingdom, now a rural municipality in the Mustang district.
Experience the vibrant and culturally rich celebration of the Tiji festival, traditionally observed in May or June each year. King Samduk Rabden started the Tiji Festival in the 17th century. It commemorates the triumph of Dorje Sonnu, a monstrous being that ravaged human flesh. The monks offer prayers for world peace and overcoming any future obstacles. This festival is a three-day annual event in Lo-man thang, Upper Mustang.
Tiji Festivals: A Three-Day Annual Festival
Man Tam Ru marked the festival’s first day to represent the harassment that was conveyed through the dance called Tsa Chham. Draped in their traditional attire, the monks from the Chhoedde monastery perform this unique dance.
Similarly, on the second day of the festival, Lamas perform a dance called Nga Chham, which portrays Dorje Sonnu’s birth as the son of a demon.
The traditional dance on the 3rd day of the celebrations represents an effort to reinstate the country to Lord Buddha from the devil’s hand.
During the Tiji festivals, the monks chant prayers and perform nearly 50 separate religious dances to ward off demons from Lo-manthang. They follow the masked devil, swinging wooden swords widely toward the terrified spectators.
The monks use an ancient musket to fire an arrow at the red devil made of tiger skin. More than five demons are cast out into the sand to signify the city’s deliverance from demons.
The unrolling of the Thangka and mask dances are standard cultural practices in the Nepal Himalayas and Tibet. The Tiji Festival Trek dates for 2026 will be held in Lo Manthang from May 14 to 16 this year.
Also Read: What Everyone Ought To Know All About Tiji Festival
Getting to Upper Mustang
Upper Mustang is one of the most popular trekking areas in Nepal. It is a restricted area, which means trekkers must use the services of government-authorized trekking companies in a group. The group must be a minimum size of 2. Trekkers also need to pay a special permit fee of US$500 per person for a period of 10 days.
The Tiji festival trek begins from Jomsom, where regular air service is available from Pokhara. Alternatively, you can get a bus to Jomsom from Kathmandu and Pokhara.
The Upper Mustang trek offers a taste of Nepali ethnic culture and spectacular views of snow-capped mountains like Annapurna, Nilgiri, and Dhaulagiri, among many others. The Mustang region was opened to foreigners only in 1992. This is because the isolated areas helped maintain a way of life that has remained almost unchanged for centuries.
