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Without any exaggeration one can call the overtone chanting of Tibetan monks the visiting card of Tibet. In any film, in any musical composition about the Legendary Roof of the World, one can hear their low voices of a startling depth and power, bringing in them the energy of utterly other, unknown, but magnetic world.
Not many people know though that among thousands of monasteries in Tibet only two sing in this style. One of them is Gyudmed, the monastery with the five hundred year tradition, which appeared soon after its founder, Tibetan lama Sherab Senge heard an amazing voice in a prophetical dream. This voice in an inconceivable way combined low laryngeal sounds similar to the tiger’s roar or peals of thunder, and tender notes of a melodious singing of a young girl…
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The monks themselves call their chanting style the voice of Yamantaka – the victor of the God of Death. As far as only people who ascended to the highest spiritual peaks could have the idea how does the voice of this powerful enlightened being sound, in monastic texts it is compared with the ”snow-slip roar, descending from the snow mountains” or “ a swift mountain river, rolling the stones”.
The vocal style of Gydmed is so versatile and unique, that the monks meet their spiritual leader Dalai-lama not with the trumpets, like in other monasteries, but with their beautiful and powerful chanting. As the monks say this chanting style ravish not only people, but deities as well. The days when Gyudmed monks train chanting are considered to be not favorable for divination in the Tibetan society. The point is that the deities, who usually tell the right answers for the questions are very busy this time. They all are in Gyudmed monastery, listen to the monks chanting!
Till recently one could hear the ancient Buddhist ceremonies and rituals, performed by monks, only within their monastery. A charming sound of Tibetan long trumpets, copper dulcimer ringing, the intricate dance of which in lama’s hands is often compared by tradition to the eagles fighting in the boundless sky, the low throat chanting of monks – all this bring us to Tibet, the Snow Country, where sincere love and pure compassion are considered to be the signs of grandeur and perfection.
The monks of Gyudmed monastery travel around Asia, Europe and America for many years already, they tell people in different countries about the unique Tibetan culture, which appeared to find itself, because of historical reasons, at the edge of total disappearing. The authentic ceremonies and rituals, performed by them, are the treasures, which with the incredible effort were managed to be preserved for the world community.
The best voice of the monastery – chanting master honorable Damcho Nyima took part in the concert’s program. Chanting master is one of the most respectable lamas of the monastery. According to the tradition he is chosen by Dalai-lama and leads the monk’s choir at the important ceremonies and rituals.
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Damcho Nyima – chanting master of the monastery |
