It was decreed that the winner of the race would become king
and marry Sechan Dugmo. Gesar defeated Todong easily, and
became the King of Ling, with Sechan Dugmo as his queen.
While Tibet prospered under Gesar’s rule, Todong plotted
to usurp his throne by allying with a monstrous demon
called Lutzen. Gesar fought the demon, and chopped of its
12 heads. But Lutzen’s wife, a stunning enchantress,
seduced Gesar by giving him a cup of wine that made
him forget everything but her. He forsook his
kingdom, which fell into decline and was taken
over by a demon king called Kurkar.THE RETURN OF GESAR
Six years later, Gesar’s brother found him and
told him what had happened. Gesar returned
to his kingdom disguised as a boy skilled in
metalwork. He used his skill to distract and
kill Kurkar, while his men destroyed the
demon’s army. After this, he had to defeat
another demon called Shingti, who had a
virtuous daughter. Despite his enmity with
Todong, Gesar was fond of Todong’s son,
and arranged his marriage to Shingti’s
daughter. The couple became heirs to his
throne, ending the conflict with Todong.Told by both the Tibetan and the Mongol peoples, the story of
Gesar Khan is set in Ling, Tibet. The myth describes a time when
the people were oppressed by warlords, treachery was rife, and
famine was endemic. It is based on the life of a brave hero called
Gesar, who came to the rescue of his people, battling with
traitors and demons until the kingdom was finally made safe.THE MYTH
Gesar was originally called Joru, and was the son of a dragon
princess who had taken the form of a servant girl called
Dzeden. When her pregnancy became apparent, the Queen of
Ling threw her out of the castle because she believed that her
husband, King Singlen, was the father of the unborn child.
When Joru was born, he seemed unremarkable. He was
short and ugly, and very mischievous. Some disliked him,
especially the king’s brother, Todong, a power-hungry man
who sensed that Joru was destined for greatness. He tried to
have Joru killed but the boy escaped, and Dzeden took him
to live in the woods, away from danger. He grew up into a
handsome young man, skilled in shape-changing.THE CONTEST FOR KINGSHIP
Gesar returned to the palace after receiving
a message from a Buddhist monk, named
Padmasambhava, that he was destined to
become a saviour of his people. On arriving,
he found out that the king had left on a
pilgrimage, and Todong was hoping to
rule in his stead. In the guise of a prophetic
raven, Gesar told Todong that he could rule
Ling if he staged and won a horse race, in
which anyone could participate. He could
also marry Sechan Dugmo – a beautiful
woman who led an unhappy life with
her miserly father, but who was destined
to become queen. An accomplished
horseman, Todong organized the race
because he was confident of his victory.The Epic of Gesar Khan
Padmasambhava
A Buddhist monk named Padmasambhava spread
Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th century. Revered by
Tibetan Buddhists, he is seen as a second Buddha.Gesar Khan
A skilled rider, Gesar
had a horse called
Kyang Go Karkar, which
was strong and resilient.EAST ASIA SOUTH AND
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