Religious dances depict historical stories
Masks transform the monks into figures from ancient myths and legends. With costumes, they disguise themselves as characters from Buddhist history. Their religious dances depict historical stories. Temples form the backdrop. The Bhutanese have flocked from afar: those who participate in the festivals receive blessings from the gods. But who doesn't feel blessed here? Because when the monks put on their masks, Bhutan takes off its mask and displays its cultural splendor to all who attend.
For travelers, festivals are a time to experience Bhutan's cultural traditions up close. Small festivals arise spontaneously at the end of the monsoon or as thanks for a good harvest. The big ones are on the calendar. One particular festival is Jambay Lhakhang Drup, in Bumthang. The sacred Jambay Lhakhang temple was built in the seventh century by a Tibetan king and is among the oldest in Bhutan. The highlight of this three-day festival is the Tercham, a ritual fire dance in which masked men dance around the fire to drive out demons.
The power of good is celebrated during the Gomphu Kora festival. In the eighth century, an evil spirit escaped from Tibet, hiding in a cave in Bhutan. A guru managed to drive him away by meditating in this place for three days. It became a pilgrimage site, and during the annual festival, all of eastern Bhutan gathers in the narrow valley to commemorate the event. Other festivals are celebrated throughout the country.
Beginning of spring and autumn: Tshechu
The religious Tshechu festival takes place in honor of Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), who brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the eighth century. The festival takes place on the tenth day of the Tibetan lunar calendar and heralds the beginning of spring or autumn. During the festival, masked dances are performed and stories from the life the holy guru. Locals wear traditional costumes and are often adorned with fine jewelry. They believe that attending a festival is good for karma, and it is also an important social event. The largest festivities take place in Paro and Thimphu. But in the intimacy of a small temple, such as the Trashigang Dzong in Eastern Bhutan, you can take another step closer.
