mask dances
Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal introduced the annual Wangduephodrang Tsechu after the completion of the Wangduephodrang dzong. The three-day annual Tsechu is known for the Raksha Mangcham or the Dance of the Ox. It concludes with the unfurling of the Guru Tshengye Thongdrol.
Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag Dzong was gutted by fire on 24th June 2012. After the fire the Tsechu was held at the nearby Tencholing Army ground in Wangduephodrang. But plans are underway to reconstruct the Dzong.
Haa, the mythic valley of the guardian spirit, Aap Chhundu, is the apt place to lose your self in the natural beauty of nature and experience the local culture, cuisine and people. Don’t forget to taste the hearty Haapi Hoentoe, the buckwheat dumplings filled with grated turnip, mushrooms and other ingredients. Hitch a yak ride or listen to the Haapi Ausa, the song and dance that extols the virtue of the Haapa’s yaks. You can also see the White Poppy (Meconopsis superba) endemic to Haa alone. Haa is two hours’ drive from Paro. The Haa Summer Festival is held every 1st weekend of July.
The highlight of the five-day festival is the fire ritual that is held in the evening where crowds gather to witness the ritualistic naked dance. The temple is one of the two built in Bhutan by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gempo who was supposed to build a total of 108 temples. The second, located in Paro, the Kichu lhakhang was also built on the same day.
The Punakha Drubchen is unique for the fact that it includes the enactment of the battle scene between Bhutanese and Tibetan armies from the 17th century. The ‘pazaps’ are the local militiamen, dressed in traditional battle gear. The victory of the Drukpa soldiers who volunteered in the absence of a standing army ushered in a period of newfound internal peace and stability.
The annual Black-necked Crane festival is celebrated in the courtyard of Gangtey Gonpa in Phobjikha valley. The festival heralds the arrival of the rare and endangered crane species during winter and the relationship it shares with the local communities. The festival includes folk songs and mask dances performed by the local people, and crane dances and environmental conservation-themed dramas and songs by school children.
The Dochula Druk Wangyel Festival was initiated in 2011 to commemorate His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and the Armed Forces’ victory over Indian insurgents residing in southern Bhutan in 2003. The festival takes place at Dochula Pass, 22 km from the Capital. The Druk Wangyal Lhakhang was built over a period of four years (2004-2008) under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo.
Held in Gasa Dzongkhag within Jigme Dorji National Park, the second largest national preserve in the country, the festival offers you ample opportunity to take an up-and- close look at the national animal, the Takin (Budorcas taxicolor). You will also get to experience hot spring baths and taste delicious local cuisine while exploring indigenous handicrafts. Also observe skilled nomadic herders at work while weaving tents, blankets, rugs and bags from raw materials culled by shearing yaks.
The most important event in Paro Tsechu, held every spring, is the unfurling of the Guru Thongdrol, which is a feast to the eyes and of great religious significance to every Bhutanese.
