The Mahakali in Cham

The ritual dance-drama of ‘Cham’ is beautifully choreographed event. A group of resident lamas dressed in brightly patterned attire and masked gears to perform as directed by the ‘Cham-spon’, the mystic dance master. The performance is not just a dramatization of the philosophy of ‘good over evil’ but also ritual offering to the deities of the monastery and the guardians of the faith. Cham Dance appeared as a form of teaching, when monks could tell religious stories to spectators.