Gangtok: The ‘Pang Lhabsol’ festival was observed with religious fervour and gaiety across Sikkim on Friday, with Governor Om Prakash Mathur and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang taking part in the celebrations at the Tsuklakhang Palace here.
The festival commemorates the consecration of Mount Khangchendzonga as the Guardian Deity of Sikkim.
In a social media post, Tamang said, “It was a privilege to join the prayers and worship and to witness the rich spiritual and cultural traditions of Sikkim, including the powerful ‘Pangtoed Chaam’ (warrior dance).”
The festivities, celebrated over 3 days are enjoyed with much religious fervour and dance, music and fun.
The main attraction of this festival is the famous Cham dance or the masked warrior dance, which takes place in the Royal Chapel Monastery. Later, religious scriptures are read to the audience. Another grand element of this festival is the Pangtoed dancer procession, which moves around the monastery with song, music, and dance, three times. This procession signifies victory.
Though the festival falls on the on the 2 of September this year, the rising cases of Covid in Sikkim have given way to strict lockdown rules until the situation improves.
