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Shoton
The Shoton Festival, an annual celebration of Tibetan Opera (Lhamo) is organized by TIPA and supported by the Heinrich Boell Foundation (HBF), Germany. It is normally held over an 8 to 10 day period in February or March. In 2005 it was held outside Dharamsala for the first time. Lhamo associations from Tibetan communities all over India and Nepal take part in the festivities.
Origins of Shoton
There exist two main theories to explain the origins of the Shoton. In India, the Lord Buddha initiated the practice of monks going on a summer retreat. When Buddhism came to Tibet, this practice was adopted by many monasteries there. In Drepung Monastery, the summer retreat started on the 15th day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar. On the 30th day of the same month, the "Disciplinary Monk" was replaced. This particular occasion is called the Drepung Shoton.
The other origin of the Shoton is concerned with Jamyang Choje Tashi Palden, the main disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, who was born on the 6th day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar (Earth-Sheep year) at Samye. In Wood-Sheep year, 1415, Jamyang Choje saw many auspicious signs in dreams when he lived in Ne'u. Later Je Tsongkhapa met Jamyang Choje personally and advised him to build a religious institution for the propagation of their own traditional Sutra Tantra and for the benefits of others. Moreover, Je Tsongkhapa laid the foundation stone for the institution.
Je Tsongkhapa gave an auspicious conch shell taken from Gokpari Hill and prophesied that the institution would become extremely famous. In the year 1416, Namkha Sangpo, the District commissionaire of Ne'u Dzong gave a generous contribution and Drepung monastery was thus constructed. The opening ceremony of Drepung monastery was held at same time as the summer retreat and it was the time when all the nomadic people have plentful stocks of dairy products. The curd, being white in color, represents auspiciousness (in Tibetan, curd is sho and festival is ton). During the Drepung ceremony, they served the sho to all the monks. Therefore, this particular day is called Shoton.
It can be seen then, that the evolution of the name Shoton is derived from these two historical events surrounding the Drepung monastery; the first surving through the network of oral history, the second more factual and supported by written accounts. However, both explanations of the word Shoton are equally accepted.
The reason for changing the Drepung Shoton into the Tibetan Shoton stems from the occurance of instability resulting from events in 1959, when the Chinese destroyed not only Drepung Shoton, but most other aspects of the Tibetan Culture & tradition as well. The name "Tibetan Shoton" reflects the fact that Shoton is a part of the entire Tibetan Culture not just a feature of a single monastery. The preservation & development of traditional Tibetan (Opera) performance by the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) & other opera groups are one of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's great deeds.
Shoton Today
Shoton is the opera festival that celebrates the coming of spring and a bountiful harvest. It coincides with Monlam (the Great Prayer Festival) and Losar (Tibetan New Year). During this time many Tibetans come from occupied Tibet to reunite with their families and to participate in cultural events. TIPA, following the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, brought the event forward to provide the opportunity to these Tibetans to witness their true culture in action and to take back their impressions to family and friends in Tibet.
On this festive occasion, various opera (Lhamo) associations from Tibetan settlements in India and Nepal come together. Each Lhamo association, including TIPA, perform a one day opera on the first day of the festival in front of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In all, the festival lasts for 8 to 10 days. On the first day, TIPA is honoured to have His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurate the festival as the Chief Guest. His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa also attends.
Lhamo stories, which in their current form date back to the late 14th century, are lavish historical tales of kings and queens, good and evil, love and devotion, all inter-twined and told within a Buddhist context. The operas are performed on an open stage surrounded by the audience on all sides. This provides greater interaction between the actors and the spectators. The stories are told through a specialized style of singing and dancing, accompanied by drums and cymbals.
Under the kind guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, TIPA makes special arrangements every year for the children of the Tibetan Children's Village to come and watch the Shoton festival. This gives them the opportunity not only to observe, but also to understand their rich cultural heritage. Every year, TIPA invites all the isolated Lhamo associations to perform. This provides a great opportunity for sharing the knowledge and skills required to preserve the traditional ancient art form of Lhamo. The festival not only provides entertainment and joy for the spectators but also a wonderful opportunity for the isolated Lhamo troupes to come together and share knowledge and skills.
At the end of the first day of the festival His Holiness the Dalai Lama addresses the opera performers. His Holiness also gives a special audience to all the opera association members including TIPA members. On the final day of the festival we are again honoured by having Gyalwa Karmapa as Chief Guest at the closing ceremony of the festival.
TIPA, P.O. Mcleod Ganj, Dharamsala, 176219 (H.P.) India
Phone: +91-1892-221478 / 220587 / 220657 Fax: +91-1892-221033 Email: tipadhasa@hotmail.com