Culture & Religion of Bhutan

The Tsechu

Annual festivals featuring dances depicting the life of Guru Rimpoche at most Dzongs and monasteries. The twelve part dance dramas occur on the tenth day of the month in the Bhutanese calender. Monks and lay people perform the dances established by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, Pema Lingpa, and Guru Rinpoche. The dancers playing wrathful and compassionate beings, heroes, demons and animals. Known as cham these dances bring blessings, dharma teachings, protect from misfortune, and exorcise evil. The Teschu is a religious festival and brings merit to those who attend. It is also a major social event and attendees wear their best clothes and jewelry.

Dancers wear elaborate masks and costumes and astaras (clowns) often wear masks with long red noses. The astaras entertain the crowds and collect donations for the monks and monasteries. During the intervals elegantly dressed woman sing and dance. Many Tsechus feature large Thankas (religious pictures) called Thondrol which are unfurled just before dawn. Thondrol means ‘liberation by seeing’ and by seeing the Thanka one’s sins are washed away. The crowds chant prayers when the Thanka is rolled up. The Tsechu lasts for four days and the order of the dances varies according to  local tradition.

Some Tsechus have small fairs featuring gambling and fortunes tellers with Tashi-go-mang, miniature temples with divinities hidden behind doors.

The Choku

The Choku is a two day annual religious ceremony held at the homes of Bhutanese families to offer prayers of thanks for for the blessings of the past year and to ensure well- being in the future.  Monks are invited to perform rites and rituals and ceremonies at the home.  On the second day villagers participate and enjoy great feasts.  After the feast local woman sing and dance. All Bhutanese families have annual chokus attended by their neighbors.

The Domchoe (Punakha)

Domchoes are large festivals held annually at dzongs.  Powerful religious rites and dances attract large crowds.  The Punakha Domchoe is held at Punakha Dzong on the start of the lunar  year which is called Lhosar.  Religious rites are held.   Re-enactments of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel's ruses used to defeat  invading Tibetans intent on capturing the precious Rangjung Kharsapani Statue and returning it to Tibet. The image remains in Punakha Dzong.  The three chapters of the Shabdrung's battles are re-enacted with great pageantry  featuring troupes of musicians playing horns and drums,  and soldiers and cavalrymen dressed in ancient battledress.  At the end of the domchoe the Serda is held.  This procession of monks is led by the Je Khenpo who carries a casket to the river.  The casket is immersed in the water along with some oranges in a symbolic re-enactment of the Shabdrung's ruse. The Shabdrung pretended to throw the Rangjung Kharsapani into the river.  The Tibetans fearing the image was lost forever withdrew and returned to Tibet. Enthusiastic locals brave the chilling waters to retrieve the oranges.