Eine Beschreibung der einzelnen Festivals erhalten Sie hier:
Tshechu
– THE BUDDHIST FESTIVAL
Festival
or ‘Tshechu’ in local term is a religious event celebrated every year in
various monasteries, temples and fortresses across the Kingdom of Bhutan. The
dates and duration of the festivals vary from one district to another but they
always take place on or around the 10th day of the lunar calendar corresponding
to the birthday of Guru Padmasambhava, an 8th century Buddhist scholar.
During
Tshechus, the dances are performed by monks as well as laymen wearing ornate
costumes and masks; the each aspect of dance has a symbolic meaning mostly
depicting events from the life of Guru Padmasambhava. It is widely believed
that one gains merit by attending any of these festivals. Some of the festivals
are observed to purify the souls and ward off evil spirit. Such high spirited
sacred events are conducted & choreographed by fully ordained religious
heads.
The
Thimphu Tshechu, Paro Tshechu & Jambay Lakhang Drup are among the biggest
in terms of participation and audience. Most Tshechus also feature the
unfurling of a Thongdroel (or thangkha) – an embroidered painting. Thongdroels
are especially impressive examples of Buddhist art and are considered so sacred
that simply seeing a Thongdroel is said to cleanse the viewer of sin.
These festivals apart from their enduring
religious significance also provides an occasion for the locals to get
together, to renew old friendships and
to forge new alliances all against the backdrop of a colourful religious
ceremony.
Punakha
Drubchen & Punakha Tshechu
Punakha located in the western part of Bhutan, is the winter home
of the Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot of the country. It has been of critical
importance since the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in 17th century who is
regarded as unifier of Bhutan.
During 17th century Bhutan was invaded
several times by Tibetan forces seeking to seize a very precious relic, the
Ranjung Kharsapani. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal led the Bhutanese to
victory over the Tibetans and to commemorate the triumph he introduced the Punakha
Drubchen. Since then Punakha Drubchen (also known as Puna Drubchen) became the
annual festival of Punakha Dzongkhag.
The Punakha Drubchen is a unique festival
because it hosts a dramatic recreation of the scene from the 17th century
battle with Tibetan army. The ‘pazaps’ or local militia men, dress in
traditional battle gear and re-enact the ancient battle scene. This re-enactment
harkens back to the time when in the absence of a standing army, men from the
eight Tshogchens or great village blocks of Thimphu came
forward and managed to expel the invading forces from the country.
Their victory ushered in a period of new-found internal peace and stability.
In 2005, another festival known as Punakha
Tshechu was introduced by the 70th Je Khenpo Trulku Jigme Choedra and
the then Home Minister, His Excellency Lyonpo Jigme Yoedzer Thinley. The
Tshechu was introduced in response to the requests made by Punakha
District Administration and local people to host a Tshechu in order to
better preserve Buddhist teachings and keep alive the noble deeds
of Zhabdrung Rimpoche.
These two festivals not only play an important
role in preserving Bhutan’s rich culture and traditions but also provide devout
Buddhists with an opportunity for prayer and pilgrimage. They reflect the
richness of the Bhutanese cultural heritage and are very special in the eyes
and hearts of both Bhutanese and tourists who visit Bhutan.
Paro Tshechu
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 Bhutan, and Ponpo Rigzin Nyingpo
initiated the festival together with the consecration of Paro Dzong (fortress)
in 1644. Featuring dances performed by trained monks and laymen in amazing masks and
costumes, Paro Tshechu (festival) is one of the best ways to experience the
ancient living culture of Bhutan. The festival is observed in three specific
parts- the pre-festival rituals on the first day, ceremonies are undertaken on
the second day inside the Paro Dzong and the main festivities on the festival
ground on the remaining three days.
A highlight of Paro Tsechu is the
unfurling of the silk Thangkha – so large that it covers the face of an entire
building and is considered one of the most sacred blessings in the whole of
Bhutan. The ‘Thangkha, known in Bhutan as a ‘thongdroel’ is a religious picture
scroll, and is only exhibited for a few hours at daybreak on the final day of
the festival enabling the people to obtain its blessing. This holy scroll ‘confers
liberation by the mere sight of it’ (the meaning of the word ‘thongdroel’ in
Bhutanese).
Paro Tshechu, one of the biggest one in
terms of participation and audience is
also the occasion for social bonding among the people of remote and spread-out
villages.
Rhododendron Festival
Set
in the Lamperi Botanical Garden, near Dochula pass, this festival celebrates the rhododendron
flower and features the rhododendron garden walk and exhibition, local
culture and cuisines, arts and crafts, traditional games, cultural
program, guided walks and similar activities. The festival showcases
different species that are in full bloom in their natural habitat. Of the
46 rhododendron species recorded in the country, 29 are found in
Lamperi Botanical Park, 35km from Thimphu.
Chhorten Kora
The
Chorten Kora Festival is one of the most popular event in eastern Bhutan.
‘Kora’ means circumambulation and the main activity of the festival is
circumambulating the Chorten Kora. This festival also attracts people from
the neighboring Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and brings out colorful
aspects of Bhutanese culture such as mask dances, the rich textiles and brocades
worn by the locals amdist the triumphant atmosphere of the festival
itself.
Dakpa Kora
is held on the 15th day of the 3rd month corresponding to
28th February and Drukpa Kora (circumbulation by the Bhutanese) is held on
the 30th day corresponding to 15th March every year.
The Chorten (Stupa) was built by Lama Ngawang
Loday in 1740on, the site where a demon was subdued. The chorten was
dedicated to the memory of his late uncle, Jungshu Pesan. It is believed to be
a replica of the Boudhnath stupa in Nepal and was consecrated by the
13th chief Abbot of Bhutan Je Sherub Wangchuk. Today, it is considered one
of the most important historical Buddhist structures.
Further, the chorten was built so that
pilgrims could visit the temple in Trashiyangtse instead of making a trip to
Nepal. Also, a legend states that a young girl from Tawang, believed to have
been a Khando (Dakini) agreed to be buried alive inside the Chorten. For this
reason a ritual known as Dakpa Kora is organized every year where hundreds of
people from Arunachal Pradesh known as the Dakpas make it to Chorten Kora to
circumambulate.
Gomphu Kora
Gomphu Kora lies in
the heart of the agrarian belt of eastern Bhutan. It is 23 kilometers from
Trashigang Dzong, the headquarters of Bhutan’s most populous district, and two
kilometers from Duksum, a quaint hamlet consisting of a few shops that serves
the nearby farming community.
In Chokoey (a classical
script), Gomphu means ‘Meditation Cave’ and Kora means ‘Circumambulaion’. The
name is derived from a cave formed out of a rock-face next to a temple that has
been built as a tribute to this scared site. The story of Gomphu Kora goes back
to the 8th century AD. Legends has it that an evil spirit called Myongkhapa
escaped from Samye in Tibet where Guru Padmasambhava, the progenitor of the
Nyingma strand of Buddhism, was spreading the Dharma in the Himalayas.
Myongkhapa followed the course of the present – day Kholongchhu stream and
concealed himself inside a rock where Gomphu Kora stands today. The Guru
followed the evil, meditated for three days inside the rock cave and finally
vanquished it.
Several prominent
religious personalities have undertaken pilgrimage to Gomphu Kora in the past
millennium. The Gomphu Kora temple was renovated and enlarged in the 15th
century by Yongzin Ngagi Wangchuk, the grandfather of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel
who founded Bhutan as a nation state. He also inscribed murals on the walls of
the temple. Gyalse tenzin Rabgay, the fourth temporal ruler of Bhutan, followed
his footsteps about a hundred years and renovated the temple.
‘Go around Gomphu
Kora today for tomorrow may be too late’, so goes a local song that entices
devotees to visit Gomphu Kora. The place comes alive, once every year, when
people all over eastern Bhutan descend upon the narrow valley, dressed in
fineries, to partake in the festivity, to worship and to reunite themselves
with their illustrious past. The sanctity of the three-day religious festival
equally draws the Dakpa tribes in neighboring Arunachael Pradesh (India) who
endure days of travel on foot amid rugged environs with entire families in tow.
Some say, the Dakpas have done this for more than a millennium, beginning
shortly after Guru Padmasambhava sanctified the place in the 8th century AD.
So, in just the
blink of an eye, the otherwise desolate rock-scarred landscape mushrooms into a
town of tents and huts filled with people of all shades and colours. Towards
dusk, the occupants of three make shift dwellings join a river of crowd for the
clockwise circumambulation of the temple and the rock chanting the omnipotent
mantra of Guru Rinpoche. This often lasts till dawn. The Guru is attributed to
have said that devotees will flock to Gomphu Kora for eons on to celebrate the
triumph of good over evil. There could not be a more accurate prophesy.
The festival also
provides the much-needed respite for work-worn families and especially in
recent years, the strictly religious event has also become a great social
outlet.
Ura Yakchoe
Located at an altitude of 3,200m in
breathtakingly wonderful province called Bumthang and surrounded by forests of
spruce, pine, larch, fir, juniper, bamboo, rhododendron, the fascinating and
one of the largest clustered village of Ura in central Bhutan exudes charm
through its traditional farm houses, Buddhist temples, stupas and fluttering
prayer flags.
Ura is named after Guru
Padmasambhava, from the land of Ugyen (Oddiyana) who is credited to have
brought Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. He is said
to have first passed through this village on his way to the court of Sindhuraja
in Chagkhar. Since then, the village use to be called Urbay, the hidden land of
Ugyen and people in neighbouring valleys still call Ura by its ancient name. It
is however the second coming of Guru Padmasambhava that the village remembers
and celebrates through Yakchoe, the grand annual festival of Ura.
As per local legends, Ura community
once prayed to Guru Padmasambhava to cure them of an epidemic leprosy. Guru
responded to their call by appearing in form of mendicant at the house of an
old lady, who was busily spinning wool on her terrace. The lady invited the
mendicant to lunch, but he mysteriously disappeared when she had finished
making buckwheat pancakes. Thoroughly perplexed, she sat down to spin her wool
only to discover to her astonishment a statue of the Buddhist deity Vajrapani
sitting in her wool container.
There are two versions of the story
about how the statue subsequently reached the house of the Gadan Lam, a
descendant of Tibetan Saint Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. Some say it flew there after
three nights in the old lady’s house while according to others, the statue was
presented to the Gadan Lam through a village consensus.
When the statue of Vajrapani reached
Gadan, a nine-headed snake rose out of the place that is now known as ‘the
nine-headed snake’ (puguyungdhogo)
and slithered out of the valley. Leprosy, the disease spread by the serpents,
was eventually overcome by the blessing of Vajrapani, the subjugator of the
subterranean world. The Yakchoe is a commemoration of this important event and
an offering in gratitude.
Fascinating as it may be, this
account of the festival’s origin does not explain the name Yakchoe. It may well
be the case that the festival has an animistic Bon origin before it was turned
into a Buddhist ceremony. Even today, an archaic ritual using the Bonpo
liturgical text for fumigation is performed on the third day of the festival by
one of the priest dressed as a Bonpo.
Today, the Yakchoe has become an
elaborate affair. It formally begins on the 12th of the third
Bhutanese month with a procession from Gadan to Ura. The Vajrapani relic and
the Gadan Lam are received by Ura’s priests in a long procession which trails
through open fields and meadows, over streams and brooks and past chortens and mani walls, all of which provide a magnificent backdrop to the
event.
Having arrived in Ura, the gomchens
perform their dance tests and a religious ceremony dedicated to Vajrapani,
which begins with the ritual of exorcism. This religious ritual continues for
several days in early mornings and late evenings, while several masked,
religious dances alternated by folk dances occupy most of the daytime. The
festival ends on the fifth day with the distribution of blessings accumulated by
the religious ceremony and the tour of the relic through the village before it
is brought back to the old lady’s house.
Nimalung Tshechu
Nimalung festival
is three day event, celebrated at Nimalung Lhakhang located in Chumey valley of
Bumthang. The district of Bumthang holds many legends dating back to the days
when Guru Rinpoche first visited Bhutan. During the rule of Sindhu Raja, Guru
Rinpoche was summoned in Bumthang in order to exorcise evil supernatural
entities and to subdue demons haunting the valley of Bumthang. The festival
symbolizes Guru’s Rinpoche’s triumph in converting the hostile local deities
into Buddhist beings and freeing the valley of Bumthang from evil spirits.
This festival is
held once a year in the 5th month of the Bhutanese calendar. A
majestic Thongdrol (gigantic scroll painting) of Guru Rinpoche is put on
display for the attendees. The massive Thongdrol is said to purify wandering
spirits in the region and cleanse the sins of those who look upon it. The
Thongdrol was donated by Lopen (Teacher) Pemala and consecrated in June 1994.
A series of
spectacular mask dances are performed during the Tshechu. The most famous being
the Guru Tshengye (Dance of eight manifestation of Guru Rinpoche). The Guru
Tshengye is performed as a customary tradition in most of the festivals all
round Bhutan but there is difference sense of feeling when it is performed at
the place where it actually originated. The dance is performed like a stage
theater which gives a realistic visual of how Guru Rincpoche changed into eight
different forms to subdue the local deities tormenting the souls of the people
living in the valley of Bumthang. The festival is grand occasion for many
Bhutanese locals and each year people from all over Bhutan gather around to
pray to their guardian deities for peace and prosperity.
Tamshing Phala Chhoepa
The
Tamshing Phala Chhoepa festival is held at the Tamshing monastery in
Bumthang. Built in year 1501, the monastery follows the Pelliing tradition of
Pema Lingpa and belongs to the Nyingmapa sect. Tamshing is headed by the
venerable Lhalung Sungtrul Rimpoche, the 11th direct incarnation of Pema
Lingpa. This festival is
celebrated in the monastery for its cultural significance and its direct
connection to the famous saint and cultural hero, Terton Pema Lingpa.
Thimphu Tshechu
Thimphu Tshechu,
held in Bhutan’s capital city, was initiated by the 4th Temporal
Ruler of Bhutan, Gyalse Tenzin Rabgay, in 1867. The festival underwent a change
in the 1950s, when the third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, introduced numerous
Boed Chhams (mask dances performed by monks). The addition also added colour
without compromising the spiritual significance.
Thimphu festival
begins on the 9th day and ends on the 12th day of the
eighth Bhutanese month. In general, the four-day Tshechu program consists of
twenty-four folk songs and twenty-five sacred dances. Usually the program for
each day begins by 9 a.m.
From the years of
its establishment in 1687, Thimphu Tshechu was performed inside
Trashichhoedzong courtyard until 2007. However, because of the steady increase
in attendees, the inner courtyard became too congested to properly perform the
rites. Therefore, to accommodate a growing number of viewers, a new Tshechu
stadium was constructed and named Tendrel Thang, meaning ‘Auspicious Ground’.
Wangduephodrang Tshechu
The annual
Wangduephodrang Tshechu was introduced by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal after the
completion of the dzong. It is a three-day festival of mask and folk dances and founded by the
4th Temporal Ruler of Bhutan, Mr. Tenzing Rabgye (1638-1696), to commemorate
the birth of Guru Padmasambhava. The Tshechu features dance by monks and laymen
and concludes with the unfurling of the Guru
Tshengye Thongdrol where people throng to receive blessings. The Tshechu is particularly
famous for the Raksha Mangcham or the Dance of the Ox. Wangduephodrang festival
is attended by people from Punakha and Thimphu as well and provides an occasion
for merrymaking and revelry.
Note: Wangduephodrang Dzong was burnt
to the ground on the 24th of June
2012. Plans are well underway to re-build. Until Dzong construction
is complete, festival is organized at different location.
Thangbi Mani
The Thangbi Mani festival held at Thangbi Lhakhang which was founded in
1470 by Shamar Rinpoche of the Kagyupa religious
school. Located in the north of Choekkor valley, it
takes about 30 minutes walk from the road through the fields of buckwheat to
reach the temple.
Located at an elevation of 2730m, Thangbi temple is of
historical significance and one of the temples managed by lay monks called
Gomchens who are responsible for all rituals. Organized jointly by the people
of three villages of Bumthang, Thangbi, Goling, during festival, the Gomchens of the
monastery exhibits vibrant rituals, and young lads and lass wear masks of
glorious demonic demons and animals to showcase hypnotizing masked dances and
folk items believed to have hidden powers to bless onlookers with unending
fortune. Also it is local belief that those amongst the present, if jump over a
flame three times, are supposed to be protected from every impending misfortune
at least for a year.
Thangbi Mani
festival starts on 14th and concludes on 16th day of 8th
Bhutanese month.
Jambay Lhakhang Drup
Jambay
Lhakhang, is one of the oldest temples in the kingdom, founded by Songtsen
Gampo, a Tibetan King in the 7th century AD. The king was destined
to build 108 temples known as Thadhul- Yangdhul (temples on and across the
border) in a day to subdue the demoness that was residing in the Himalayas.
This temple is one of the two of the 108 built in Bhutan. A second is located
in Paro, the Kichu lhakhang also built on the same day.
Legend has it
that Guru Rimpoche visited the site several times and deemed it exceptionally
sacred. Chakhar Gyab, the king of the Iron Castle of Bumthang renovated the
temple in the 8th century AD.
The first king
of Bhutan, Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck constructed the Dus Kyi Khorlo (Kala
Chakra- Wheel of Time) inside the temple, to commemorate his victory over his
rivals Phuntsho Dorji of Punakha and Alu Dorji of Thimphu after the battle of
Changlimithang in 1885. Later, Ashi Wangmo, the younger sister of the second
king of Bhutan, built the Chorten lhakhang.
The main
relics include the future Buddha, Jowo Jampa (Maitreya) from whose name the
present name of the temple is derived. The lhakhang also houses more than one
hundred statues of the gods of Kalachakra built by the first king, in 1887.
One of the
most spectacular festivals in the country, called Jambay lhakhang Drup is
hosted here with a duel purpose and agenda. Firstly, it is a tribute to the
honour of Guru Rinpoche, a saint who introduced Tantric form of Buddhism in the
country and secondly, this festival commemorate the establishment of Jambay
Lhakhang (temple) in the 8th century. During the festival, variety
of traditional and mask dances are performed and each dance bear significance
meaning. However,
the highlight of Jambay Lhakhang Drup remains the fire
ceremony named 'Mewang' and the religious dance known as 'Tercham'. Apart from
these, the other activities include- a famous drum beat dance, a clown dance
called Dola Pangtoy Shazam, Raksha Mangcham (a dance symbolizing life after
death) and many more. With the proceedings of the events, this festival
captures the attention of the onlookers and create a magnificent spectacle.
Prakhar Duchhoed
The
annual festival is held at the Prakhar Lhakhang, in the Chumi Valley of
Bumthang, which is about half an hour drive from Chamkhar town. Built in 16th
century, it is main temple of the village and located about 10 minutes walk
from the road. It is said that Langurs helped in making this Lhakhang and
humans use to carry on work during the day while the monkeys would continue the
work at night, hence the name ‘Prakhar’, which means ‘White Monkey’.
The festival
lasts for 3 days from the 16th to the 18th of the ninth lunar month in the
Bhutanese calendar. The festival is celebrated to honor Lama Thukse Dawa,
one of the sons of the 15th century Buddhist master, Terton Pema
Lingpa, who was one of the greatest Buddhist masters to be ever born in
Bhutan. Several kinds of
mask dances are performed during the festival.
Black necked Crane Festival
The annual Black-necked
cranes festival is held every year in Phobjikha on 11th November.
The festival was initiated by RSPN (Royal Society for Protection of Nature)
since 1998, in an effort to promote community based-sustainable tourism in the
valley and to raise awareness among the visitors and local community on the
importance of crane conservation. It is also an occasion for local people to
socialize, rejoice, and celebrate the arrival of crane in their valley.
The crane festival is now
organized by the local community group and it entails lot of logistic
arrangements and co-ordination and usually involves several people, including
children. The festival generally comprises variety of cultural performances
like traditional dances and dramas related to cranes and mask dances. The crane
dance performed by the children during the festival is the most amusing and
entertaining part of the show.
Mongar Tshechu
Mongar
district, previously known as Zhongar, is one of the six districts that make up
eastern Bhutan, bordering Bumthang, Lhuntse, Pemagatshel and Trashigang
districts. The region’s landscape is spectacular with stark cliffs, gorges and
dense conifer forests while the area is notably famous for its textiles,
fabrics and wood carvings.
Mongar
Tshechu is the most exciting annual festival held for three days, besides
several local festivals in the region. Celebrated inside the Dzong, it is
witnessed by people from as far as Trashigang, Trashiyangtse and Lhuentse. The
festival offers numerous mask dances and is one of the most important events,
the area has to offer.
Trashigang Tshech
The
annual three day distinctive Trashigang Tshechu is one of the biggest festival
in eastern Bhutan and held at Trashigang Dzong, during the 7th to 11th
day of the tenth month of the Bhutanese calendar. The Tshechu is attended by
the Brokpas, a semi-nomadic people those reside in the valleys of Merak and
Sakteng, the Khengpa community and people from as far as Samdrup Jongkhar, Pema
Gatshel and Trashiyangtse.
Preparations
for the Tshechu begin two days prior to the actual festival. On the 7th day of
the month the monks perform ceremonial ablutions. On 8th day, they
have rehearsals in preparation for the Tshechu. Then on the 9th day
of the month the Tshechu formally begins. On the 10th day, the Thongdroel
(large tapestry) of Neten Chudrug (Sixteen Arhats) is unfurled amidst a flurry
of mask dances. On the final day, the old Thongdroel of Guru Tshengyed (eight
manifestation of Guru Rinpoche) is displayed. The unfurling is accompanied by
the performance of Guru Tshengyed Chhams.
Trongsa Tshechu
Of the many festivals held in various parts of Trongsa, the grandest is
the three day annual Tshechu, held at northern courtyard of Trongsa Dzong. This
festival brings together people from all walks of life and falls sometime in
the month of December. In addition to traditional mask dances, visitors can
witness the unfurling of the sacred Thongdroel (liberation and blessings at the sight) and receive
blessings from high ranking monks. People also receive blessings from the
sacred Nangtens that is opened during the last day of the Tshechu.
Nalakhar Tshechu
Ngang
Ihakhang sometimes also spelt as Nalakhar, is a private temple built in the
15th century by a Tibetan lama Namkha Samdrup who moved from southern Tibet and
settled in south Bumthang. When he reached the place where the temple stands
today, a beautiful swan or Ngang-ma came flying in circles and landed there.
The Lama considered this an auspicious sign and decided to build temple there.
Until late 19th century, the temple was not maintained properly and at the time
of King Ugyen Wanchuck, it was taken over by one of the lama’s collateral
lineage. Ngang Lhakhang was later restored in the 1970s.
The
temple which looks like a large farm house, typical of the rural religious
architecture, has two storeys and is preceded by a large courtyard. The lower
temple has beautiful statues of Guru Rinpoche as padmakara with his two
consorts. The upper temple is a gonkhang dedicated to protective deities
and house the masks for the festival as well as the protective deities images
and the three deities of long life (Amitayus, Tara and Usnishavijaya).
The
community holds a festival from the evening of the 15th day to 17th day of the
10th Bhutanese month. The family members from the two main lineages of Samdang
Dung (said to be descendants of the 8th
Tibetan King Trisong Detsen) who had settled there, and the Ngang
Lhakhang Choeje, heirs of Lama Namkha Samdrup, play a central role.
The
festival gives visitors the opportunity to witness its unique tradition and
culture. People from all over the village and from various parts in Bhutan
visit the festival annually in order to celebrate and to pray for better
harvest, prosperity and happiness of the villages and the whole country of
Bhutan. The spectators witness the festival dressed in their finest Ghos and
Kiras (National Bhutanese Dress) and enjoys the spectacle with special
Bhutanese packed lunch namely Shaakam Paa (Dried Meat) with Rice and Ema Datshi
(Chilli curry made with lot of cheese). The festival is a grand occasion for
all the local villagers and people from all over Bhutan visit Nalakhar during
the time of the festival.
Druk Wangyel Tshechu
The Druk Wangyal festival is held every year on 13th
December at Druk Wangyel Lhakhang at Dochula pass in commemoration of His
Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and the Armed Forces’ victory over insurgent
forces residing in southern Bhutan, in 2003. Dochula Pass (3,080m) is one of
the most visited landmarks offering a stunning panoramic view of the Himalayan
mountain range. Set amidst this spectacular backdrop, the Druk Wangyel festival
is an experience unlike any other that truly exemplifies Bhutanese cultural
traditions. Unlike rest of the religious festivals, Druk Wangyel Tshechu showcases
unique sets of mask dances performed by the Royal Body Guard, Royal Bhutan Army
and Royal Bhutan Police.
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