Culture · Ralang Monastery
Ralang's winter cham in the 10th month
Ralang's second great dance falls on the 29th day of the 10th Tibetan month, usually in December. Clear winter skies, fewer tourists and the drama of protector dances in the courtyard make it our favourite time to see cham in South Sikkim.
Photo: Arian Zwegers from Brussels, Belgium · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Wikipedia records cham at Ralang on the 29th day of the 10th Tibetan month as well as at Pang Lhabsol. In Sikkim this period is associated with Kagyed-style dances that drive out the negative forces of the old year before Losar. Masked protector deities perform in sequence, ending with rituals in which offerings representing evil are destroyed.
December is dry and clear in South Sikkim, so you are likely to see the dances under blue skies, with snow peaks visible across the Rangeet valley. Crowds are local rather than touristic: families in their best clothes, elders with prayer wheels, children perched on walls.
Days are sunny but cold in the shade, and nights near freezing. Bring warm layers and a thermos. As with every cham, keep off the dance ground, avoid flash and ask before close-up photos. Exact dates vary each year; check current status before you travel.
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Questions travellers ask
Before you book
When is the winter cham at Ralang?
On the 29th day of the 10th Tibetan lunar month, which usually falls in December. Dates move each year with the lunar calendar. Ask us or contact the monastery through a local guide well before you plan your trip.
Is the winter cham the same as Kagyed?
In Sikkim, dances held on the 28th–29th of the 10th month are commonly called Kagyed, performed to drive out evil before the new year. Ralang's records list a cham on the 29th of the 10th month; local guides often call it Kagyed. The details of each monastery's programme differ.
How cold is Ralang in December?
Days are usually sunny at around 10–15 °C, but shaded courtyards feel colder, and nights drop near freezing. Wear thermals, a down jacket and warm shoes. Bring a flask of tea. Sit in the sun when you can.
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