Excelsior Correspondent
![People participating in ‘Thiksay Gustor’ at Leh.](http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/page7-214-300x169.jpg)
LEH, Oct 30: Thiksay monastery festival popularly known as “Thiksay Gustor” began with religious fervor and gaiety.
The main attraction of the festival is the colourful mask dances performed by monks with the rhythmic beat of religious musical instrument wearing spectacular costumes and brightly painted masks demonstrating good prevailing over evils.
While giving a brief introduction about the festival, Lobon Lobzang Stanzin said that monks have been performing special prayer over the past one week on the eve of their annual festival, praying for peace, prosperity and happiness to all human beings. He further added on the first day of the festival yesterday monks performed mask dance without wearing the mask and is called “Dik” like a rehearsal while today is known as “Serkim” where monks in their best costumes performs mask dances and tomorrow on the last day “Storma” a ritual of dispersal of “Storma” or the sacrificial cake made of barley flour and butter representing the destruction of all forms of evils would be performed.
Dignitaries present on the occasions were MP Thupstan Chhewang, Leh MLA Nawang Rigzin Jora, Nobra MLA Deldan Namgyal, SSP Dr.Sunil Gupta, newly elected councilors Dr. Sonam Dawa, Dorjay Mutup, Lobzang Nyantak, P.Wangdan, Morup Dorjay, Tsering Angchok, PDP President Advocate Tashi Gyalson, DCC President Tsering Samphel and NC President Sonam Wangdus.