In a vibrant celebration spanning from December 29 of the previous year to January 7 this year, the annual Druba festival unfolded in Gelling village, honouring the time-honored traditions of the Memba community in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
The event took place at the chorten located at Kepang La on Sunday, where the festivities reached their pinnacle with the Sang Puja, a sacred ceremony performed by monks from Tuting and Mankota monasteries and was facilitated by the Spear Corps of the Indian Army.
Sang Puja performed by monks from Tuting and Mankota monasteries at the sacred Chorten at Kepang La Pass on the occasion of Druba Festival celebrating the ancient traditions of the Memba Buddhists of Siang Valley, AP on 07 Jan. It was facilitated by Spear Corps of Indian Army. pic.twitter.com/K5z1bb6aTu
— IPR UPPER SIANG (@diproykg) January 7, 2024
The highlight of the Druba festival is the mask dance, locally known as bardo cham. The annual Druba festival follows a rotational organisation among the border villages of Gelling, Bishing, Khopu, Bona, and Norbulling. The primary objective of this cultural extravaganza is to safeguard the ancient customs of the Buddhist community residing in Upper Siang.
