Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Feb 21: Thousands of Buddhist devotees performed Gochak to mark the first sermon by Lord Buddha during the first fifteen days of the Tibetan lunar calendar around this time of the year today.
Various Tsogspa and volunteers organise such Gochak procession in Tangpo (The Buddhist Holy Month) during which braving the prevailing harsh weather condition people in large number with outmost devotion and faith take part in the procession. The first month (Tanpo) of the Tibetan calendar is considered as holy month for Buddhist followers and during Tangpo people avoid taking alcohol, non-veg and makes pilgrimage to Gompas to earn merits.
Chanting prayer “Lama Sangryas Rinpochey, Choski Skula Chaktsalo” that echoed through the silent valley of Ladakh, the gigantic human caterpillar consists of devotees from all walks of life creating a unique atmosphere travelled from place to place to circumulate the Stupas, Many Walls and other Sacred places in clock wise. The fascinating religious procession continues for days before culminating at certain places where the devotees performs 100 Gochak. During the Gochak procession each individual offered about three thousand Skyangchak and nearly eight hundred Skumchak.
Talking to media one of the Gochak performer Changchub Rapstan Labuk who had been offering Gochak for the past 63 years said that this practice had been continuing since ancient times and only 5-10 devotees would took part in the past but gradually number grows with each passing year.
Talking about the merits of Gochak, Changchub said that while offering Gochak one must concentrate and focus on Body (Lus), Speech (Naag) and Mind (Idd) to attain the sublime.
“Mind must be free from all faults and mental obstruction and continuous effort should be made towards subjugating the ego solely to liberate living beings from the misery and suffering of life”, said Tharchin.
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