---- By Norbu Samphell
The 29th day of 12th Tibetan month is annual exorcism day. With rituals and religious dances we exorcize evil spirits - negative forces, and obstacles of community for peace, prosperity and progress.
Couple of weeks prior to this day, people do repairing, fixing, cleaning, and washing to give pure and immaculate look to welcome a New Year in few days. Around this time is Holiday season for Tibetans. It is the annual clean-up season too.
I remember going to a river with a bullock cart full of stuffs to wash. We had clothes, sheets, rugs, blankets, table cloths, shoes, socks and all sort of things. It was a whole day activity. With good food and drinks - I mean Chang and Tea, it was a sort of picnic on a riverbank. Those, who came with whole kitchen stuffs made fire and cooked food right there on the bank. After doing all the washing, we had open air river bath, and played games in the sun. When we started for home, it was already evening, and the sun was going down giving orange glow all over.
That was late 1970’s and early 1980’s in Tibetan Settlements, Bylakuppe, where I lived until I moved here in 1992. I do not know, if they still carry the same way. These days, I hear a lot about changes in the settlement since then.
Here in Chicago, as a symbolic gesture we still try to adjust some time in cleaning our house and decorating our altar a couple of days prior to Losar day.
Monasteries are specially busy in this season. They hold prayers, rituals and retreat session for a grand ceremony on 29th of the 12th month. The Ceremony is called Gu-tor - torma on the 29th. This torma is thrown and burnt in flames. Procession of Lamas, monks and laities with horns, cymbals, flutes, drums and bells will usher those carrying the Torma followed by religious dancers on the ground. Along with Torma burning, we throw old clothes and even money in the fire. This is the process of exorcism.
Long after the Torma burning ceremony is over, it used to smoke and smolder. One could see stray dogs and crows on the spot trying to pick Torma pieces, while local kids collect coins around.
It is for those, like me, who hold on to dualism - I and others, that this religious ritual is believed to drive away evil spirits - negativity, and any obstacles in the coming year.
It is porridge time in the evening. We would have a kind of porridge, which is supposed to have 9 ingredients, for diner. Those ingredients are grains, fruits and meat. A "fortune Dough" will be served either along with porridge or separately from a pot to each member. In side the dough you find a note that will either tell you to do some thing funny like rubbing your nose on the floor, with your hands folded behind, after you are full, or will describe about your nature metaphorically like walking stick means, you travel a lot, or a hot chilly pepper means you have a sharp and hurting tongue.
That used to be great fun, specially children enjoy doing those funny things, and you are already friends with those that are strangers just minutes ago.
After this fun fair with porridge and fortune dough we would have Gu-Lud - exorcizing evil spirits of the house. A dough statue/effigy with a lamp in front will be ready there. At the end the lamp is lit and all will give little porridge from their share along with a dough with hand prints - prints of palm and five fingers. This dough called Tru-lud.
While you move and toss the dough all around your body, you would say,
"Take away all the evil - physical disease, and mental problems. Take them all far, far away and never turn back. Take away obstacles of a year of 12 months, 365 days."
And you will keep the dough with the effigy. The effigy is then taken to where three roads/paths meet, ‘Cuz we say, spirits meet where three roads meet.
And then we return never looking back, but laughing, joking and feeling triumphant.
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