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Matho Monastery
Leh, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaAbout
Matho is the only example in Ladakh of the Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Because it does not lie on the main highway from Leh, it sees fewer visitors than Hemis, Thiske or Shey . However, it is known to outsiders for its annual Oracle Matho Nagrang Festival, held on the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the Tibetan calendar. During this festival, two oracles, known as "Rongtsan", are said to inhabit for a few hours the body of two monks. The purpose of these oracles is to attempt to predict the fortunes of the local village communities for the coming year. The monks that are to be the oracles vehicles are chosen one every two years for a duration of 4 years. The first year the monk will have to meditate for 9 month before the festival. The three next years the meditation will last 3 months. The selection is done by lots: one name is drawn from a bowl where all monks allowed to be oracles have put their name written on a paper.
