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| Festivals of Bhutan |
Bhutan is the land of people
who are deeply associated with their age-long customs and festivals.
These festivals bring smile on their faces. The Bhutanese celebrate
their festivals with huge fanfare. They dance, sing and eat,
and follow plethora of customs which are inextricably associated
with these festivals. Watching them perform these festivals
is a delightful and intriguing sight.
Dromche
Dromche (festival) generally include dances and this festival
is dedicated to Yeshe Gompo (Mahakala) or Palden Lhamo, the
two main protective deities of Drukpas (Drukpas = means people
of Druk land or Bhutanese). Punakha Dromche take place in the
first month of the lunar year and ends with 'Serda', a magnificent
procession which re-enacts an episode of the war against the
Tibetan in the 17th century.
Jambay Lhakhang Drup
The festival is held for duel reasons; to commemorate an establishment
of Jambay Lhakhang (temple) in 7 th century and to honor Guru
Rimpoche, a saint who introduced Tantric form of Buddhism in
Bhutan . A variety of traditional and mask dances are performed
and each dance bear significant meaning/importance.
This festival is one of the most important in Bhutan and its
high light is the 'Mewang" - the fire ceremony and the
" Tercham" - a religious dance. A fire dance is held
in the evening to bless infertile women so that they may bear
children.
Paro Festival
There is a sequence of dances at Paro Tshechu. Most dances are
the same at others Tshechus, but the sequence varies. On day
one is Shinje Yab Yum, dance of the lord of death and his consort.
The costume is of buffalo mask and long brocade dress. The day
two begins with "chipdrel" traditional reception.
The Astara (clown) welcomes the audience with the marchang ceremony.
The the mask dances begin
Thimpu Festival
Thimpu festival is the festival of dances. Some of these dances
are shacham or the dance of the four stag, pelage gingsum or
the dance of the three kinds of ging, pacham or the dance of
the heroes, shawo shachi or dance of the stags and the hounds,
dranyeo cham or dance with guitar, shana or black dance, shaa
nga cham or dance of the 21 black hats with drum and, pholeg
moleg or dance of the noblemen and the ladies.
Tshechu
Tshechu is festival honouring Guru Padsambhava - 'one who was
born from lotus flower'. This Indian saint contributed enormously
to the diffusion of Tantric Buddhism in the Himalayan regions
of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan etc. around 800 A.D. He is the founder
of the Nyingmapa, the 'old school' of Lamaism which still has
numerous followers.
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