Your archive
From the archive record
Moving several hundred kilometers west of Ziro village, one reaches the lovely town of Tawang. That is if you happen to be at an elevation of 10,000 feet. With just over 4,000 people living in Tawang, 97% of them are Monpas and practice Tibetan Buddhism. Here, tucked away in the mountains you will find India's biggest monastery, the Tawang Monastery. Buddhism in Tawang dates back to the 11th century and has been influenced by a variety of missionaries and sects ever since. Today most Monpas belong to the Gelugpa sect. Tawang was a part of Tibet until the McMahon line was drawn in 1914 in an effort to define India's borders. The area thus retains many similarities in culture and religion, to Tibet. The Monpas speak six sub-dialects of a language that derived from Tibetan. Though they use
License this footage
Broadcast-quality masters are available from Wilderness Films India.
Keep exploring
ceremony · music
Devotees participate in a traditional Hindu religious ceremony featuring devotional singing, kirtan, and ritual worship inside a temple hall or community prayer space in India.
hills · festival
During the Jeetu Bagdwal festival in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, villagers gather for a vibrant traditional ritual filled with folk songs, dancing, drumming and ceremonial performances.
Jharkhand·ceremony
Thousands of women devotees gather at Pahari Mandir in Ranchi, Jharkhand, during the Maha Shivaratri celebrations.
crafts · ceremony
An outdoor handicraft stall at a Nature Festival featuring a wide collection of traditional Indian brass sculptures and ritual objects.
festival · hills
During the Jeetu Bagdwal festival in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, participants gather for a traditional folk ritual accompanied by singing, dancing, and the rhythmic beats of the dhol and other percussion instruments.
temple · ceremony
An award presentation takes place during a Krishna Janmashtami celebration at Yogmaya Temple in Mehrauli, Delhi.
music · ceremony
Devotees gather at Jagannath Mandir, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami with traditional kirtan, bhajans, and devotional worship.
ceremony · music
Devotees gather at Jagannath Mandir, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, to celebrate Krishna Janmashtami with traditional aarti, kirtan, and devotional prayers.