Tawang, Mar 29: The annual Gorsam Kora festival in Zemithang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, witnessed a massive gathering of devotees, including a significant number of Bhutanese nationals, celebrating the enduring India-Bhutan friendship and shared Himalayan Buddhist heritage.

Held from March 26 to 29, the festival was organized by the local community in collaboration with civil authorities and the Indian Army. It commenced with an invocation by Thengtse Rinpoche, followed by prayers at the Khinzemane Holy Tree, believed to have been planted by the 14th Dalai Lama.

Zemithang holds historical importance as the entry point of the Dalai Lama’s escape from Tibet in 1959. The festival’s centerpiece, Gorsam Chorten, is a 93-foot-tall stupa built in the 12th century by Lama Pradhar, predating the Tawang Monastery. Modeled after Nepal’s Boudhanath Stupa, its Bhutanese counterpart, Chorten Kora in Trashiyangtse, was built in 1740.

The final day of the festival, marking the last day of the first Lunar month, saw thousands of devotees gather at Gorsam Chorten for prayers, mantra chanting, and sacred Buddhist rituals, attended by pilgrims and Lamas from Bhutan, Tawang, and neighboring regions.

The festival also served as a platform for cross-border trade and cultural exchange, with 73 Bhutanese civilians, 15 Nepalese traders, and one Japanese traveler participating. Traditional dance performances, martial arts demonstrations like Mallakhamb and Zanjh Pathaka, and musical displays by Indian Army bands added to the festivities.

As part of the Vibrant Village Programme, the festival also featured medical camps and community engagement initiatives. This year’s theme, ‘Zero Waste Festival’, promoted environmental sustainability, with cleanliness drives led by the Further and Beyond Foundation, in collaboration with the Indian Army and local administration.