In Pictures: Celebrating The Tibetan New Year With The Monks Of Mirik In West Bengal

The Cham Dance is a lively masked and costumed dance associated with some sects of Tibetan Buddhism and is performed during Buddhist festivals. I documented the dance of the Tibetan monks in Bokar Monastery during the Losar festival. They live in Mirik, West Bengal.

Losar is the Tibetan New Year, which falls in January and continues till February. In my photos, the monks are rejoicing by performing Gutor Cham, where they depict the battle between good and evil and the ritualised destruction of evil. The monks also worship their Tibetan gods and goddesses through instrumental music.

These Chaams are considered a form of meditation and offering to the gods. This community of Tibetan monks have lived in the Bokar Ngedon Chokhor Ling Monastery since 1984. They initially set up a small retreat centre, but over the years, it grew in importance in the hills of Bengal. Today, more than 500 monks live here.

The monks are devoted to studying and propagating the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. This Tibetan community grew along with Nepali and Gorkhas in Mirik, so now Losar is celebrated together by people from all communities. The Tibetan monks visit people's homes and the entire village gathers at the monastery to rejoice at the Cham Dance performed by the monks. So, it's an example of a cultural exchange that happens every year where Tibetans, Nepalese, Ghorkhas and Bengali Hindus amalgamate and celebrate together in welcoming the New Year.