four-storied buildings with handsome pillared balconies, the Grand Lama's seat being on the western side. The long balconies on the east and south were occupied by the nobility of Tsang, and those on the north by Mongol pilgrims and a number of Shigatse merchants. The abbots of the four Ta-tsan had seats just above the Nyag-pa, who, to the number of fifty odd, and assisted by their Om-dse[1] and
BLACK-HAT DANCE (SHANAG CHAM).
the Dorje Lopon, these holding in their hands cymbals and tambourines, went through a short religious service under the direction of the Kusho Yon-djin Lhopa. This latter made during this service peculiar motions with his hands, in which he held, as I have said, a dorje and a bell.
When this was over a figure with a dark-coloured mask, and representing the Hoshang Dharma-tala,[2] advanced, and the spectators
- ↑ The office here mentioned is well known in Sikkim. See the Sikhim Gazetteer, p. 304, vi. The amged, as colloquially pronounced, is the active ruler of the monastery, and often a very important person.
- ↑ This Chinese Buddhist monk (or ho-shang) came to Tibet in the reign of King Srong-btsan gambo (a.d. 629–698). He is usually called Mahadeva, not Dharmatala—(W. R.)
