A tshechu or tsechu is an annual religious bhutanese festival held in each district or dzongkhag of bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar tibetan calendar. Punakha dzong built in 1637, the dzong continues to be the winter home for the clergy, headed by the chief abbott, the je khenpo. The highlight of the paro tshechu is the unfurling of the thongdrel on the final day. The most popular ones are the tsechu festivals tsechu literally means the tenth day of the lunar calendar when guru rinpoche, the patron saint of bhutan, was born though the exact time when it is celebrated may vary according to the temple or place. Take your place at the famed mask dance performances at the thimphu tshechu festival in 2020, whilst discovering the best of bhutan. On day one is shinje yab yum, dance of the lord of death and his consort. Bhutan thimphu tsechu festival 06 nights 07 days day 01 paro thimphu arrive at paro airport pbh, your visa will be stamped on your passport at the immigration counter, your guide and driver shall meet and greet you at the exit gate, they shall assist with your luggage and drive you to thimphu 55km. Lopon tsechu rinpoche 1918, bhutan june 10, 2003 was a master of tibetan buddhism, widely regarded in the himalayas, with many students in both the east and the west. The interesting thing about the dzong is that there is a water tower four stairs down behind the dzong leading to a water reservoir used for drawing water during battle times in olden days. Thimphu tsechu is a threeday festival of religious ceremonies and costumed dances held in thimphu, the capital city of bhutan. The book was completed on the day padmasambhavas thondrol large portrait image was unfurled at the paro tshechu festival.
Note that dates for festivals can vary by several weeks each year especially if they are adjusted to conform to auspicious dates. Religious dances of bhutan and their costumes bhutan society. Many of the dances performed at the tsechu are designed to teach lessons about how ones behavior on earth affects the. If the festival is taking place in eastern bhutan, you would have to visit bhutan for a minimum of 10 days. The highlight of this tshechu is that the monks of the paro dzong display a giant applique thangkha, the guru throngdel, in. Bhutan festival dates 2020 exact calendar, thimphu festival 2020. This festival is a ceremony of colors with a happy amalgamation of the changing nature and the many moods of the bhutanese culture. Bhutan festivals calendar 2019 travel to bhutan druk asia. Thimphu tsechu article about thimphu tsechu by the free. The tshechu begins 10th day of the 2nd month of the bhutanese calendar and ends 16th day. The thimphu tsechu is bhutans biggest and grandest festival. At the break of dawn, the giant applique scroll is unfurled for public display. Media in category thimphu tsechu the following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total. Tsechus are religious festivals, but also large social gatherings, which perform the function of social bonding among people of remote and spreadout villages.
Hike to tigers nest monastery, see the worlds biggest buddha dordenma statue and explore the punakha valley before sitting back to watch the unique and colourful displays of traditional culture performed at the citys most popular event. Dance of the four stags shacham guru rinpoche subdued the god of wind also the lord of the northwest direction and. Our 10day thimphu tsechu sojourn is designed to take in the major sights of paro, thimphu, punakha, and gangtey alongside the great festival. Tsechu dancers, paro dzong, bhutan cloaked in long, colorful costumes, a troupe of bhutanese dancers resemble spinning tops as they celebrate at a buddhist festival or tsechu in the courtyard of paro dzong. It is held annually in various monasteries, dzongs of bhutan to honor the guru rinpoche padmasambhava being his human form, the lotusborn teacher, who brought tantric buddhism to bhutan in the 8th century. I really enjoyed the tsechu pictures because they captured not just young bhutanese in their sunday best and a chilip in a gho but all sorts of people from all ages, parts of bhutan, and backgrounds. Festivals of bhutan thimphu tsechu, gangtey tsechu and thangbi mani september 24october 6, 2020 explore bhutan during the colorful festival season. Those attending thimphu tshechu in bhutan will find plenty of activities to take part in, including. On arrival at paro visit rinpung dzong, built in 1645 to defend the valley against tibetan invaders. Paro tshechu is one of the most popular festivals in bhutan, held annually since the 17th century when zhabdrung ngawang namgyal, the founder of the state of. Tshechu are annual religious bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of bhutan. Thimphu tsechu was initiated by the 4th desi, gyalse tenzin rabgay in 1867 and later some changes were introduced in thimphu tshechu in the 1950s by the third kingof bhutan, jigme.
Tsechu means tenth day and is used in much the same way as festival is used in english. Thimphu tshechu was initiated by the 4 th desi gyalse tenzin rabgay in 1867 and later some change was introduced in thimpu tshechu in the 1950s by the third king of bhutan jigme dorji wangchuck. Abto secretariat has in stock paro tsechu brochure for sale at nu. Thimphu festival description, schedule and their significance. A traditional bazam cantilever bridge leads to the dzong from across the river. During the festival, people pack into the courtyard of the tashichho dzong fortress, a dancing stage is erected, and mask dances, often with a religious. The thimphu festival tsechu is one of the grandest of bhutan s festivals and attracts the largest audience. It is a sovereign independent country and one that is rich in age. As some of the festivals are small village events, the dates may be tentative and change without notice. Paro tsechu is one of the biggest tantric buddhism festivals in the bhutanese calendar. It was open to visitors during the festival of wangdue phodrang tsechu in autumn. Day one thimphu tsechu festival the dance of the four stag shacham this shows how guru rimpoche subdued the god of the wind, who created much unhappiness in this world and rode the stag which was the wind.
Bhutan festival dates listed is provided by bhutan tourism council and tour operators association of bhutan. Silk was precious and evoked prosperity as the bhutanese word for both is the. Thimphu tshechu festival 2020 bhutan tour on the go tours. Before you schedule a trip around a speci c festival, check with a tour operator or the tourism council of bhutan for the correct dates. Tshechu, or the mask dance festival, is the most important religious festival in bhutan. Most dances are same or similar in every tsechu in bhutan and even with those of tibet. Experience the best of both worlds, delving into one of bhutan s largest and most intoxicating festivals and then immersing yourself. This threeday festival is a welcomed reprieve from work. The paro tsechu is held in the courtyard of the dzong, except for the final day. He also devised a style of national dress and initiated the tsechu festival, for which bhutan is now famous. The tshechu is a religious event celebrated on tenth day of a month of the lunar calendar corresponding to the birthday. Jakar bhutan tourism 2020 travel guide top places holidify. During the festival, monks and laymen perform mask dances over a stretch of three to five days in a temple or monastery. Apr 04, 2017 paro tsechu is one of the biggest tantric buddhism festivals in the bhutanese calendar.
Zhang gong sheng jun bday august 24, 2016 duration. Bhutan, land of the thunderdragon, is a true living kingdom full of high mountain vistas, welcoming people, and colorful festivals. The thimphu tsechu was established by the 4th temporal ruler, tenzing rabgye 16381696 in 1670. Thimphu tsechu 2019 in bhutan, photos, festival, religion. Thimphu tshechu is an annual, threeday buddhist festival that has been held in bhutan s capital city of thimphu every year since 1867. Prayer flags flutter from nearly every rooftop and fortresslike monasteries command mountaintops. Bhutan has many indigenous celebrations apart from the usually observed government and national holidays. Builtin 1638, wangdue phodrang dzong was the most visible feature of the district and provided a wonderful view being located on a ridge overlooking the confluence of the rivers dang chhu and punakha chhu. Thimphu tshechu thimphu only in bhutan time and date. Punakha drubchen and tsechu details windhorse tours. In spring the rhododendrons in the surrounding hills erupt in blossom and the je khenpo leads the annual procession of monks from punakha to their summer residence in thimphu. One of the most revered and important events is the paro tsechu 11th to 15th day of the 2nd.
Thimphu tshechu association of bhutanese tour operators. Bhutan western bhutan pdf chapter lonely planet us. Because it is a lunisolar calendar, dates of some national holidays and most tshechus change from year to year. Experience the best of both worlds, delving into one of bhutans largest and most intoxicating festivals and then immersing yourself in the spectacular natural beauty on several day hikes. If you click on the name of particular bhutan festival, you will find more details such daily program, photos, videos and more. The event encapsulates the essence of the traditional arts and crafts of bhutan and its culture. While national holidays are observed throughout bhutan, tsechus are only observed in their areas. A highlight of paro tsechu is the unfurling of the silk thangkha so large that it covers the facade of an entire building and is considered one of the most sacred blessings in the whole of bhutan. Dance of the black hats, paro tsechu festival of dances. The threeday religious event plays an important role in the lives of bhutanese people as it is an opportunity for the buddhist followers to immerse and cleanse themselves of the bad karma and to remind them of what to make of their lives. The highlight of thimphu tsechu is the showcase of ethnic folk dance in the famous tashichho dzong in thimphu.
Paro tsechu festival association of bhutanese tour operators. Bhutan uses its own calendar, a variant of the lunisolar tibetan calendar. So it is possible for you to do a four days visit just to attend the festival. Bhutan is one of the few countries in the world still untouched. Featuring socalled mask dances, these festivals are held in buddhist temples and monasteries, and are religious occasions for prayer and blessings. Bhutan festival dates 2020 exact calendar, thimphu. Paro and thimphu festivals are by far the most popular festivals in bhutan. Lonely planet,lindsay brown,bradley mayhew published on 20140201 by lonely planet lonely planet. In the late afternoon drive back to punakha and overnight at a hotel in punakha. Thimphu tsechu is by all means one of the biggest festivals in the capital of bhutan. The monks perform the dance wearing colorful silk brocade and ferocious mask. Jakar was the first place in bhutan that guru padmasambhava guru rinpoche visited. In the affected city, it is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.
A paradise for tourist interested in buddhist culture and philosophy, flora and fauna, trekking and mountaineering. Bhutan tamzhing monastery, built in 1501 and one of the most culturally significant in bhutan. Bhutan festivals calendar 2020 travel to bhutan druk asia. Many of the dances performed at the tsechu are designed to teach lessons about how ones behavior on earth affects the afterlife, while others are believed to influence the.
This festival is held in thimphu for 3 days beginning on the 10 th day of the 8 th month of the lunar calendar. The sevenstorey watchtower, the ta dzong, on the hill above the dzong, now houses the national museum of bhutan. Thimphu tshechu the thimphu tshechu runs for a total of five days in late september or early october depending on the bhutanese lunar calendar. Bhutan street fashion is a really great blog if you want a look into bhutan attire. The thimphu tsechu was established by the 4th temporal ruler, tenzing rabgye 16381696 in 1670 on the 8th month of bhutanese calendar to commemorate the birth of guru rinpoche. Secondly, paro and thimphu festivals take place in spring and autumn respectively, 2 of the best seasons to visit bhutan. Mar 27, 2016 the sevenstorey watchtower, the ta dzong, on the hill above the dzong, now houses the national museum of bhutan. I am looking at joining a group tour that will happen to be in paro during the 2018 festival, but is not specifically planned around it. There is a sequence of dances at paro tshechu conducted. Most dances are the same as other tshechus, but the sequence varies. Civil registration and census royal government of bhutan. Punakha is located in the western part of bhutan and this place has critical importance in the history of bhutan since the time of zhabdrung ngawang namgyel, the buddhist saint who unified bhutan, in 17th century. Elaine dobson for a few days in october, in the himalayan kingdom of.
Tsechus are religious festivals where masked dances are performed to instruct the onlookers in the ways of dharma and to honor padmasambava, considered the founder of buddhism. Whether you arrive by air at the dramatic, mountainbound paro valley or by road at steamy phuentsholing, it soon becomes clear that you have arrived at an otherworldly destination. It is the season of a number of festivals all over the country but of particular significance to jakar is the festival of jakar tsechu held in jakar dzong. Tshechu festival in bhutan india tours, travel agents.
Public holidays in bhutan consist of both national holidays and local festivals or tshechus. Australia differs a lot from the bhutanese culture in modern bhutan, and features from both cultures. Bhutan tradition and culture birth birth of new born baby is always celebrated in bhutan. I am trying to work out whether i will be able to check out the festival in the free time or whether i should. There are two main reasons why they are so popular. The thimphu tshechu is one of the biggest festivals in bhutan as thousands of people flock to the capital in their finest garments. This festival is held in thimphu for 3 days beginning on 10th day of the 8th month of lunar calendar. For example, the kagyu buddhist religious teachings were codified by the shabdrung to give them a specifically bhutanese flavour. Paro tsechu the tsechu is a religious festival that is celebrated in all the dzongkhags. Tshechus are religious festivals of the drukpa lineage of the kagyu school of tibetan buddhism.
Revised prr and sbd 2019 royal government of bhutan. Featuring dances performed by trained monks and laymen in amazing masks and costumes, tsechus festivals are one of the best ways to experience the ancient living culture of bhutan. The thangkha, known in bhutan as a thongdroel is a religious picture scroll, and is only exhibited. Bhutan is a country with a strong buddhist foundation. Paro tsechu brochure available association of bhutanese tour. Dochula pass the 108 chortens was built by the present queen mother of bhutan ashi dorji wangmo wangchuck to commemorate bhutans victory over indian militants and to liberate the souls of the souls lost. The highlight of this tshechu is that the monks of the paro dzong display a giant applique thangkha, the guru throngdel, in the early morning inside the dzong on the final day.
Thimphu tshechu is one of the most popular festivals in bhutan. For a summary of major festivals held in bhutan see p 19. It has been held annually since the consecration of paro dzong in. Firstly, they are located in the western part of bhutan, an hour drive away from the airport. The tsechu is a religious festival that is celebrated in all the dzongkhags. Bhutan thimphu tsechu festival 06 nights 07 days day 01 paro thimphu arrive at paro airport pbh, your visa will be stamped on your passport at the immigration counter, your guide and driver shall meet and greet you at the exit gate, they shall assist with your luggage and drive you to thimphu 55km 1. After breakfast get a glimpse of the last day of punakha tsechu and then travel to paro with lunch enroute. Tshechu is a religious festival meaning tenth day held annually in various temples, monasteries and dzongs throughout the country. Due to the royal governments policy of controlled selective tourism, bhutan has been receiving less than 5000 tourists annually.
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