On September 17 to 19, the Tibetan Cultural Center (TCC) and the Chamtse Ling Interfaith Temple in Bloomington, Indiana will host an International Mongolian Festival. An array of exciting activities is scheduled during this 3-day event, beginning with an Opening Concert at 7pm on Friday, September 17. This program will feature a diversity of music performed by artists from around the world.
Events on Saturday, September 18, are scheduled from 10am to 4:30pm and include Mongolian, Tibetan, and Native American musical offerings, youth performances, and Mongolian contortionists. Elaine Irwin Mellencamp will participate in and serve as spokesperson for all festival youth activities.
On Saturday evening at 7pm, a fundraiser dinner will be held in the Main Building of the TCC to promote the mission of the Chamtse Ling Interfaith Temple.
Attendees will have an opportunity to meet the festival’s performing artists and to enjoy traditional Mongolian and Tibetan cuisine. Seating is limited for the dinner event. The donation is $150 per plate, payable in advance.
Events on Sunday, September 19, are scheduled from 10am to 4pm. Grand Champion Mongolian wrestlers will meet in a match from 10:30am to 11:30am. Other events on Sunday include a Mongolian archery demonstration and Mongolian musical performances. From 2pm to 3pm, a religious talk will be given by the most
highly revered Mongolian Abbot, Venerable Ch. Dambajav Khamba Lama of the Dashchoiling Monastery in Mongolia. Finally, from 3pm to 4pm, the Venerable Jigdal Dagchen Sakya Rinpoche will offer a Buddhist teaching focusing on interfaith and intercultural paths to world peace. Rinpoche’s teaching is entitled “Two Armed Vajrapani Empowerment Related to 8 Bodhisattvas.” Rinpoche is one of the spiritual leaders of the Sakya branch of Tibetan Buddhism; one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhist practice.
All events for this exciting, unique festival will take place on stage under an open-air tent on the TCC grounds. A variety of ethnic foods and crafts will be sold onsite during each day of the festival.
A complete schedule of events can be obtained at www.tibetancc.com.
