Villagers from all walks of life in Lish village, West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh participated in the Choskor Pooja with great religious fervor. Men, women, and children gathered to celebrate this annual Buddhist ritual, also known as Choikor, which holds deep spiritual significance for the community.
Choskor, derived from the words ‘chos’ (sacred Buddhist scriptures) and ‘kor’ or ‘kora’ (circumambulation), involves a large procession where the sacred scriptures are carried around the village. This practice symbolizes the purification of the village and the driving away of any negative influences or unforeseen incidents. The procession is led by senior lamas, who chant mantras while playing cymbals, bells, drums, and ceremonial trumpets. Hundreds of villagers follow, carrying the sacred texts, and visiting both large and small villages along the way to seek blessings for each community.
The Choskor Pooja is also a way to pray for a good harvest, particularly for important crops such as rice and maize, and to prevent unpredictable natural disasters. Lama Lekie Norbu emphasized the significance of the event, stating that it promotes world peace and harmony among all beings, and by carrying the holy scriptures of Lord Buddha, the villagers are spreading these sacred blessings.
Adding to the spiritual atmosphere, two masked dancers, known as ‘kyengpa’, perform in the front of the procession to symbolically ward off negative energies. As the procession arrives at each village, locals welcome it by burning incense, standing in reverence, and bowing their heads to receive blessings from the sacred scriptures.
The Choskor procession traveled through several hamlets, including Lish Gompache, Lish Gompalok, Choskorong, Rama Camp, and Zingkha, before returning to Lish Tashi Choeling Damja Gonpa, where it concluded. Villagers took blessings by bowing and touching their heads to the holy texts.
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