Festivals and Tshechu in Bhutan.
Thimphu Tshechu
Padmasambhava, the great scholar, visited Tibet and Bhutan in the 8th century and 9th century. He used to convert opponents of Buddhism by performing rites, reciting mantras and finally performing a dance of subjugation to conquer local spirits and gods. He visited Bhutan to aid the dying king Sindhu Raja. Padmasambhava performed a series of such dances in the Bumthang Valley to restore the health of the king. The grateful king helped spread Buddhism in Bhutan. Padmasambhava organized the first tshechu in Bumthang, where the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava were presented through eight forms of dances. These became the Cham dances depicting the glory of Padmasambhava.
Paro Tshechhu
Paro Tshechu (festival) is the most popular religious dance festival in Bhutan. It has been held annually since the 17th century when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (the founder of the state of Bhutan) and Ponpo Rigzin Nyingpo initiated Paro Tshechufestival together with the consecration of Paro Dzong (fortress). Tshechus are large social gatherings, which perform the function of social bonding among people of remote and spread-out villages. Large markets also congregate at the fair locations, leading to brisk commerce.[1] The Thimphutshechu and tha Paro tshechu are among the biggest of the tshechus in terms of participation and audience. The focal point of the tshechus are Mask dances/Cham dances. These costumed, masked dances typically are moral vignettes, or based on incidents from the life of the 9th century Nyingmateacher Padmasambhava and other saints. Most tshechus also feature the unfurling of a thongdrel - a large appliqué thangka typically depicting a seated Padmasambhava surrounded by holy beings, the mere viewing of which is said to cleanse the viewer of sin. The thongdrel is raised before dawn and rolled down by morning. Because tshechus depend on the availability of masked dancers, registered dancers are subject to fine if they refuse to perform during festivals.
Punakha Tshechhu
In the 17th century, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal of Punakha in western Bhutan defeated the invading Tibetan forces which led to the unification of the country as one nation. To honor this victory, a grand celebration, the Punakha Drubchen (a.k.a. Puna Drubchen), was held. It went on to become an annual festival of the district. Expectedly, the major part of the festival is a theatrical reenactment of the epic battle. The battle scenes are performed by the local militia men (pazaps) dressed in the battle gear of those ancient times. This highlights the fact that during that period there was no national army as such, and the battle was fought by young men from the eight village blocks (tschogchens) of Thimphu who came forward voluntarily to do battle with the enemy.
Haa summer Festival.
The Haa summer festival is a lively and uplifting celebration of traditional living-culture,nomadic lifestyles, unique Bhutanese cuisine, traditional sports and religious performances. It provides unparalleled insight into the lives and traditions of Bhutan’s nomadic herders. It showcases a lively traditional living culture, nomadic life styles, demonstration of local cuisines, brewing of local ara, traditional sports, religious performances, dances, songs, artifacts and natural alpine flowers. Tourist can also experience the night at one of the many village home stays and enjoy the hospitality of the local people of Haa Valley.
Royal Highlander Festival
The Royal Highlander Festival will be organized in Laya from 16th to 18th October, 2016. Driven by the underlying goal of making the Highlands a vibrant and thriving economy, the festival aims to promote the sustainable livelihood of highlanders; showcase highlander’s innovation; and exhibit the Highlands as a Pride of Bhutan. The festival is expected to bring together highlander from other parts of Bhutan and other countries to exchange values, knowledge, skills and best practices related to highlands and yak farming. The festival will be a landmark activity of Gasa Dzongkhag’s vision of Good to Great Gasa. The Good to Great Gasa is a vision inspired by His Majesty’s passion to make our country Great. The festival will also celebrate the birth of HRH the Gyalsey; 400 years of Shabdrung Rimpoche and the Rabjung birth year of Guru Rimpoche. As a part of the festival, a Photo Exhibition on Gasa will be held from 25-28th August, 2016 to introduce the Royal HighlandFestival. This exhibition will be featured as an event of the 2016 Mountain Echoes Festival at the Foyer, Royal University ofBhutan (RUB), Thimphu. This exhibition will be an opportunity to introduce and promote the forthcoming Royal Highland Festivalin Laya this October.
Dochu La Wangyal Festival
The Dochula Druk Wangyel Tsechu (or Festival) is held annually on December 13, at Druk Wangyel Festival ground located at Dochula pass. This festival was established in 2011 to commemorate victory of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and the Armed Forces in 2003. A special Tsechu was composed for the occasion by Dasho Karma Ura which involved costumed mask dances.The Dochula Pass is a mountain pass in the snow covered Himalayas within Bhutan on the road from Thimpu to Punakha where 108memorial chortens or stupas known as "Druk Wangyal Chortens" have been built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, the eldest Queen Mother.Apart from the chortens there is a monastery called the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang (temple), built in honour of the fourth Druk Gyalpo (head of the state of Bhutan), Jigme Singye Wangchuck; the open grounds in its front yard is a venue for the annual Dochula Druk Wangyel Festival.
