Phuntsokling reverberates with 16th Shoton Opera Festival [Thursday, 17 February 2011, 11:29 a.m.]
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DHARAMSHALA:
More than 230 Tibetan artistes have gathered in Phuntsokling Tibetan
Settlement in Orissa to participate in the 16th Shoton Opera Festival.
The weeklong opera festival was organised under the auspices of Tibetan
National Opera Association in alliance with Tibetan Institute of
Performing Arts.The festival kicked off yesterday at the main
open ground adjacent to the Settlement Office amidst fanfare and
jubilation. His eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche, a highly revered
Nyingma master graced the event as the chief guest, along with hordes
of local Indian and Tibetan officials. Thousands of Tibetan residents
gathered to witness the traditional Tibetan festival celebrating
Tibetan opera. Speaking on the the occasion, Mr Sonam Choephel
Shosur, the Director of Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, said His
Holiness the Dalai Lama himself has specially advised the Tibetan
Institute of Performing Arts to establish a separate body that would
work towards revival of Tibetan opera and also in organizing the Shoton
Opera Festival in various settlements, other than Dharamsala, the hub
of Tibetan exile community. Initially started as Drepung
Shoton, this festival of Tibetan opera gained significance during the
reign of 13th Dalai Lama Thupten Gyatso. Eventually, the erstwhile
Tibetan government formed a special body Tsechag Lhekung (Treasury
Department) and entrusted it with responsibility of organising the
yearly Shoton Opera Festival. Under the supervision of this body, four
major opera companies, Gyankara, Shungpa, Chungpa, Kyormulungpa and
twelve minor troupes took part in the festival at Norbulinka, the
summer seat of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In Tibet, the festival is
held each year from the end of the sixth month to the middle of the
seventh month on the Tibetan Lunar calendar. Sadly after
Chinese occupation, opera troupes were disbanded throughout Tibet and
Shoton Opera festival eventually ceased to exist. However, sensing the
influence and hold of Tibetan opera on psyche of Tibetan people, opera
performance was later exploited and abused by the invading Chinese
Communist regime as a compelling mechanism to propagate communist
doctrine to Tibetan people. Coming into exile, opera
enthusiasts and former opera artistes, engaged in road construction in
remote Indian hills made special effort in reviving tradition of
Tibetan opera. On special occasion, these aficionados would arrange
modest performance for interested crowd and onlookers. From 1970,
onward Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts made particular effort in
reviving tradition of Tibetan opera. Various experts and senior
artistes within community were invited to teach the artistes about the
fundamentals and essence of Tibetan opera. From 1993 onwards, on the
advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, various existing opera companies
within different settlements were invited to take part in Annual Shoton
Opera Festival in Dharamsala, parallel to the one held at Norbulingka
in independent Tibet. Phuntsokling Tibetan settlement is home
to more than 3000 Tibetan refugees. Established in 1963, it is one of
the largest Tibetan settlements in eastern India. Of the nine opera
companies in exile, only seven opera associations are taking part in
this year’s festival. The year festival is partly being financed by
German Aid to Tibetans and the Phuntsokling Settlement Office have
provided the ground logistical supports. The 16th Shoton Opera festival
will formally conclude on the 23 February 2011. –Report filed by Tenzin Lhaksam, Secretary, TIPA
