VoL Desk, Jan. 10: Amidst the brisk air, Spituk Gustor an annual two day long monastic festival was celebrated at Spituk Monastery, Leh attracting huge devotees.

Amid mesmerizing mask dances and vibrant traditions, resilient devotees gather, infusing warmth into this culture and spiritual celebration on peace and prosperity.

The two-day festival is being celebrated since the 11th century for world peace and harmony at Spituk monastery, which is dedicated to the Gelugpa order of Tibetan Buddhism.

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It is popular amongst the locals of Ladakh because of the Black Hat dance that enacts the assassination of the notorious Tibetan king (Lang Darma) by a Buddhist monk (Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje) in the early 9th century.

The festival progresses with a string of performances themed around Buddhas, their prominent disciples and Gods and Goddesses. Finally, it culminates with the cutting of Torma or the sacrificial cake, thus commemorating the victory of good over evil.