Representative Tsepri Lopan Tulku Attends Three-Day Ritual Ceremony and Sacred Cham Dance at Shelkar Chode Monastery

Kathmandu: The Shelkar Chode Ganden Lekshe Ling Monastery, near the Boudhanath Stupa in Nepal, conducted a three-day ritual ceremony and sacred dance performance (Cham), upholding a centuries-old tradition for the benefit of the dharma and society. The event featured the opening of the Yamantaka sand mandala and the Drukchuma Torma offering ritual. On 16 February 2025, the 19th day of the 12th Tibetan month, the traditional Cham dance was performed.

Distinguished guests included the Representative Tsepri Lopan Tulku Ngawang Chokdup of the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office, Members and former Members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Local Tibetan Settlement Officers, heads of local Tibetan civil societies, a Member of the Nepalese Parliament, officials from two local municipal councils, senior local police officials, and other relevant authorities.

The sacred dances and rituals at Shelkar Monastery have deep historical roots, beginning with its first abbot, Pang Lotsawa, and continuing under the second abbot, Lochen Jangchub Tsemo. The tradition flourished under the ninth abbot, Khenchen Namkha Dorje—revered as an emanation of Avalokiteshvara—who first established the sacred dances associated with meditation deities and dharma protectors. This legacy expanded significantly during the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama, when Shelkar Monastery transitioned to the Gelug tradition. Chingkarwa Khenchen Tashi Gyatso, the third abbot after this transition and a direct disciple of the 5th Dalai Lama, further developed the sacred dance traditions, composed dance manuals, and formalised what became known as the “Shelkar Drubchod” (Shelkar Ritual Ceremony). This ceremony gained renown throughout the Shelkar region for its profound blessings and spectacular performances, continuing to attract large audiences both in Tibet and in exile today.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Kathmandu