For many centuries, the monks at the famous Gyudmed Monastery have carefully passed down the tradition of building butter sculptures, which have stunning proportions and elegant lines. The monks make sculptures of great Buddhist teachers and deities, palaces and scenes from holy texts. Every two years, monks from the monastery make butter sculptures for the Dalai Lama.
In Tibet, the sculptures are publicly displayed for only one night, and the Tibetans celebrate the occasion with festivities, songs and dances.
The art of butter sculptures, which can be mastered only in Tibetan monasteries, is essentially unknown in the West despite the numerous expeditions and studies over the past few years. After the festival, the butter sculptures will be sent to temples in Kalmykia.
During the festival, the president of Tibet House New York, Professor Robert Thuman, will give a series of lectures, Tibet's best vocalists (throat singing by the Guydmed monks, Tibetan nomad songs and the dances of snow lions and mountain yaks) will perform, and there will be a final gala concert at the House of Music.
Richard Gere, a famous Hollywood actor, will attend the festival. He will present his photo exhibit, The Pilgrim, which consists of 60 photographs he took during his trips to India, Nepal and Tibet.
