NEPAL

Tiji Festival

Tiji is a fascinating annual three-day festival to celebrate the victory of good over evil.

Legend has it that there once was a deity in Nepal named Dorjo Jono. As heroes do, he battled his evil father to bring water to the people of an isolated region of Mustang. Delighted by the peace, prosperity and happiness his victory brought, the locals decided to honour him with a Tiji Festival.

It’s your choice, whether to believe in this mythical story or not, but the festival is worth learning about either way. The word “Tiji” means natural love for people and life. This colourful holiday takes place in the Upper Mustang region around mid May, celebrating the victory of good over evil.

During a three-day celebration, the monks from Lo Manthang’s “Choedhe” monastery perform ritual dances for peace and prosperity around the premises of the king’s palace. People looking for spiritual experiences head to Upper Mustang for the holiday, as this is the only time they can see an ancient Thangka painting of Guru Rimpoche Padmasambhava on public display.