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Pang Lhabsol, a festival in which Mount Kanchenjunga is worshipped as a guardian deity, is primarily celebrated in:
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Answer: Option C — Sikkim
Detailed Solution
Pang Lhabsol is a unique festival of Sikkim, in which Mount Kanchenjunga (Khangchendzonga), the highest peak in India and the third highest in the world, is worshipped as the guardian deity of Sikkim. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar, which usually falls in August or September.
The festival was introduced in the 18th century by the third Chogyal (king) of Sikkim, Chakdor Namgyal. It honours Mount Kanchenjunga as the protective deity of the land and its people. The mountain is believed to be the home of the guardian deity (Dzonga), who protects Sikkim from harm. The festival also commemorates the historic blood brotherhood treaty between the Lepchas, the original inhabitants of Sikkim, and the Bhutias, who came from Tibet. According to tradition, in the 13th century, the Bhutia leader Khye Bumsa and the Lepcha chief Thekong Tek swore an oath of brotherhood at Kabi Lungchok, in North Sikkim, with Mount Kanchenjunga and other deities as witnesses. The festival thus symbolises the unity and harmony of the communities of Sikkim.
The highlight of Pang Lhabsol is the "Pangtoed Cham", a warrior dance performed by monks and dancers dressed as warriors, with helmets, shields and swords. The guardian deity of Kanchenjunga is represented by a dancer wearing a red mask, mounted on a snow lion, and Yabdu, the commander-in-chief of the deity, is represented by a dancer wearing a black mask. The dance is performed in the monasteries, especially at the Tsuklakhang Palace monastery in Gangtok and the Ravangla monastery.
Because the people of Sikkim regard Kanchenjunga as sacred, mountaineering expeditions have traditionally stopped just short of the actual summit as a mark of respect. The Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2016).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Ladakh celebrates festivals such as Hemis and Losar.
- ✗Arunachal Pradesh celebrates Losar and Torgya.
- ✗Himachal Pradesh celebrates festivals such as Halda and Phulaich.
Quick tip
Remember: Pang Lhabsol = Sikkim, the worship of Mount Kanchenjunga, the blood brotherhood of the Lepchas and Bhutias, the Pangtoed Cham warrior dance.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.