Pema Khandu, the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, was present at the sixth Sarong Zhik Tsang Kora, an annual religious celebration held by the residents of Shyaro, Jangda, and Rho villages out of a profound devotion to the patron deity Zhik Tsang. Khandu is currently on a tour of Tawang district. The event, according to the chief minister, is evidence of the resilience of regional faith and cultural values. “The four-day festival, held grandly in the courtyard of the Tashi Samten Chhoi Ding Sarong Gonpa, beautifully reflects the living harmony between faith, community, and tradition in our Himalayan heritage,” Khandu wrote in an article on X.
The Chief Minister asked His Eminence the Fifth Sarong Tulku Rinpoche for blessings during the celebration, claiming that his presence “graced the occasion with spiritual warmth and guidance.” At the revered Sarong Gonpa, high in the Himalayan hills, Khandu had prayed earlier in the day. He emphasized the deity’s cultural significance by saying, “Born of the valley’s spirit, Zhik Tsang subdues all negativity, restoring harmony between humanity and the natural world.”
The Chief Minister went on to say that gods such as Zhik Tsang “embody the timeless integration of indigenous spiritual forces into the larger Buddhist tradition,” emphasizing the close connection between the region’s Tibetan Buddhism and tribal heritage. According to district officials, the four-day celebration continues to attract devotees from all around Tawang district, who take part in customary rituals, prayers, and circumambulation in honor of the patron deity.
