Photos of a Buddhist festival show ritual dances in India's Ladakh
As they moved, the white human skull motifs on their costume caught the morning sun. They danced to ward off mythical evil beings and clear the courtyard of negative energy.
That set the stage for the ritual dances to follow at the Hemis Festival — or Hemis Tsechu.
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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A Buddhist monk in a ceremonial costume performs a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
A Buddhist monk in a ceremonial costume performs a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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A traditional Tibetan Buddhist art work called Thangka is displayed during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
A traditional Tibetan Buddhist art work called Thangka is displayed during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Devotees pray as they watch the opening ceremony of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Devotees pray as they watch the opening ceremony of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks and nuns watch a ritual dance performance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks and nuns watch a ritual dance performance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks replace a prayer flag in the courtyard of the Hemis monastery the day before the beginning of a two-day festival, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Friday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks replace a prayer flag in the courtyard of the Hemis monastery the day before the beginning of a two-day festival, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Friday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Novice Buddhist monks walk back after lessons at the Hemis monastery the day before the beginning of a two-day festival, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Friday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Novice Buddhist monks walk back after lessons at the Hemis monastery the day before the beginning of a two-day festival, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Friday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Novice Buddhist monks jump on a trampoline outside the Hemis monastery the day before the beginning of a two-day festival, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Friday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Novice Buddhist monks jump on a trampoline outside the Hemis monastery the day before the beginning of a two-day festival, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Friday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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A Buddhist monk in a ceremonial costume performs a ritual dance with others during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
A Buddhist monk in a ceremonial costume performs a ritual dance with others during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Devotees watch Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Devotees watch Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Buddhist nuns and monks watch a ritual dance performance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Buddhist nuns and monks watch a ritual dance performance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Devotees watch Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
Devotees watch Buddhist monks in ceremonial costume perform a ritual dance during the first day of the two-day festival at the Hemis monastery, on the outskirts of Leh, India, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Share
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Hemis Gompa belongs to the Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism and is one of the most important monasteries in Ladakh. Built in the 17th century, it lies at an elevation of about 3,560 meters (12,000 feet) in the northern Indian desert mountainous territory.
The festival, believed to have originated in the first half of the 18th century and observed annually ever since, commemorates the birthday of the 8th-century Indian master Padmasambhava, who is credited to have helped establish Buddhism in Tibet.
The two-day summer festival falls on the 10th and 11th days of the fifth month in the Tibetan calendar. This year's festival was observed on July 5 and 6.
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San Francisco | REGISTER NOW Lifetime totals of banned streaming services from Google Play and Apple App Store Image Credits:Appfigures Notably, some of these streaming services were either never listed on traditional app stores or had been removed earlier, and instead offered their apps as direct APK downloads. As of publication, some of these APK files were still accessible through their websites or third-party platforms. Earlier this month, Indian production company Balaji Telefilms, the parent of ALTT, disclosed that its streaming app generated ₹202.6 million ($2.3 million) in revenue by adding 1.06 million subscribers in 2025. ALTT's content was watched for more than 5.8 million hours, garnering 160 million annual views, the company said. ALTT's app was no longer available for download through Google Play and the App Store in India, and its website was inaccessible on most Indian ISPs at the time of filing this article. 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Image Credits:SimilarWeb Ullu saw nearly 10% year-over-year growth in worldwide traffic, reaching 1.9 million visits in June, while ALTT recorded over 130% growth to 776,400, per SimilarWeb. In India, Ullu recorded 18.9% year-over-year growth, reaching 1.8 million visits, while ALTT saw a 157.8% increase to 696,200 visits, SimilarWeb data shows. Image Credits:SimilarWeb Importantly, this is not the first time the streaming business has seen a crackdown in India. Global platforms, including Amazon Prime Video and Netflix often face instances of censorship by the Indian government. However, even stricter actions are seen in cases of obscenity despite a lack of clarity on regulations, as watching explicit content featuring fully consensual interactions between adult actors in a private space is not a crime. In 2023, the then Indian information broadcasting minister warned streaming platforms not to serve abusive and obscene content. New Delhi has also blocked thousands of websites streaming pornographic content. On a plea to regulate sexually explicit content in April this year, India's Supreme Court also issued notices to streaming platforms and the Indian government. That said, curbing obscene content remains a challenge even for the Indian government. Smaller streaming services — like those targeted in this crackdown — often reappear under new names, apps, and domains. It is equally difficult for intermediaries like Google, Apple, and internet providers to fully block access, as these platforms often spread through alternative channels and use social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube to attract viewers.
