Festivals in Bhutan are known for their richness, vibrancy and happiness. The ancient expressions of Buddhist culture and legendary victories are celebrated around the country with such pomp and show that it attracts visitors and tourists from around the globe. We hold these festivals in all districts in honour of Guru Rinpoche, the saint who introduced Bhutan to Buddhism in the early 8th Century. The mystical dances, engaging performances, brave fire events, mysterious naked dances, enlightening re-creations and such comprise the festive celebrations.
It relates most festivals celebrated in Bhutan to Buddhism and its sects. We celebrate many festivals all year round in different districts of Bhutan. During the festivals, the Dzongs, temples, monasteries and villages come to life in different colours, music, traditional dances and different celebrations. People celebrate festivals with much joy and happiness. They hold different rituals during the festivals. Mostly the festivals organized in the courtyards of Dzongs, monasteries and temples where devotees perform rare mask dance, sword dance along with other rituals.
All Bhutanese try to attend a festival, and for many, it is an important annual affair where they consider it a blessing to watch the dances. Apart from the monks, community dancers also take part in local festivals. People dress up in their finest clothes and most resplendent jewellery of coral and turquoise. They pack lunches in their traditional bamboo baskets and stay all day at the festivals.
The monks prepare themselves for weeks ahead of the festival, involved in deep prayer and meditation before the festival. The monks perform special masked dances that are inspirations of enlightened beings in history, and the Bhutanese believe that watching these mystical dances is essential to gain enlightenment. People's deep faith and devotion make these festivals a special occasion. It is also an opportunity to Bhutanese people in taking part in an important religious and social occasion.
Bhutan is a country of pristine beauty and captivating heritage. From tourist destinations to popular fairs and festivals in Bhutan, each aspect of the country is equally enthralling. Although natural beauty attracts tourists to Bhutan, suggest you explore the culture and heritage here with these festivals. Since you might wonder how to find out about these festivals, below are some information about different important Festivals in Bhutan you must see for an amazing stay in the land of happiness.
Tshechu, Tshe meaning date and the Chu meaning the tenth is an annual religious festival conducted annually all around the country coinciding on the 10th day of the Bhutanese calendar. Thimphu Tshechu is the biggest and the most popular festival in Bhutan. They call this the national festival of Bhutan where thousands of people flock down, all decked up in fine colourful attires to be a part of the festivities. A 3 day cultural exhibiting the vibrant culture and proud heritage of Bhutan, Thimphu Tshechu is a festival celebrated to commemorate the birth of Guru Rinpoche.
It marks Thimphu Tshechu by days and nights of prayers to invoke God. Thimphu Tshechu festival celebrates the prosperity of the country and its citizens, and the rituals of the festivals aim to seek blessings of deities.
The festival's masked dances performed by monks clad in colourful brocade attire and permeated by chanting and reading of Buddhist scripts. The culmination of festival makes up the unfolding of a huge cloth thangka, a sacred scroll, depicting Padma Sambhava and imagery from Buddhist pantheon. They will celebrate the festival from 16th September to 18th September 2021.
Paro Tshechu is one of the most famous festivals of Bhutan. Monks and laymen dress up in vibrant multi-coloured brocade costumes during the festivals. They mingle, they dance, they enjoy and they celebrate. Monks, wearing masks which represent the deities, re-enact and replay the scenes from legendary tales and historical anecdotes. However, the showstopper of the festival is when people get the much-awaited glimpse of 350 years old Thangka, which is one of the oldest Buddhist religious scrolls. It has narratives from history, celebrating the high deeds of Guru Rimpoche.
On the ultimate day of the festival, visitors will admire a giant religious picture called Thangka depicting the life of the Buddha. The painting made from silk, cotton and used as a teaching tool, telling the story of mythology and the crucial historical events in the past. With a variety of sizes and the anger and peaceful images, this would be a significant chance for visitors to discover the unique culture of the Himalayan Kingdom.
The reason why Paro festivals in Bhutan are known to be the most visited ones around the country is its hospitality and connectivity. The duration of Paro Tshechu is for 5 days. It is the most popular spring festival of Bhutan, and it will take place from 1st of April in 2023.
It introduced the annual festival after the completion of Dzong, which is a fortress in 1639 and draws people from all over Thimphu and Punakha. It is one of the Bhutan festivals, where locals and thousands of tourists come together to revel in the festivities and to celebrate life and merriment. We now know the festival for its Raksha Mangcham, or 'Dance of Ox' is also a major attraction, where people dance to ensure a peaceful afterlife.
Like other festivals, the Wangdue Phodrang festival concluded with the unfurling of a gigantic scroll of various paintings, known as Guru Tshengye Thongdrol. The duration of this festival is for 3 days, an dthis year it can be held between 3rd to 5th October 2022.
Out of all the festivals in Bhutan, Punakha Drubchen is unique. Punakha Drubchen and Tshechu, along with other outstanding celebrations around the country, are the majestic festivals of Bhutan. Punakha Drubchen is one of the oldest festivals takes place in Punakha, three days of Drubchen held before three days of Tshechu.
They celebrate it to commemorate the victory of the country when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal defeated the Tibetan dominant led to the unification to the country. Starting as a celebration of Bhutan’s victory, today this festival is an annual event, celebrated with great pride and joy. Also, the winter home of Chief Abbott Je Khenpo of Bhutan, Punakha is one of the must-visit places to visit in Bhutan.
Likewise, Punakha Tshechu is one of the most popular events celebrated annually across the country. These two festivals reflect the spiritual richness of the Bhutanese people and significantly contribute to the cultural diversity of the country. The next Punakha Drubchen will be held on Feb 26th 2023 and Punakha Tshechu will be held on March 01, 2023.
They hold Jambay Lhakhang Drup in Jambay temple of Bumthang district (Jakar)–one of the 108 temples built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. In 2022 the celebration will takes place on 8th Nov 2022 that will lasts about 3 days to commemorate the temple’s establishment and to honour Saint Guru Rinpoche who introduced Buddhism to the kingdom.
There are traditional dances performed to celebrate the foundation of Jambay Lhakhang Monastery. Besides the unique mask dance performed in other the festivals, Jambay Lhakhang Drup witnesses the special named dance also known as the “Ter Cham”. At midnight, a group of men with faces covered by traditional masks and naked body go to the courtyard of the temple and perform the sacred dance. According to the legend of the country, the performance believed to ward off the evil. I think Jambay Lhakhang Drup to be the oldest and most sacred ritual of Bhutan.
The festival exhibits the vibrant local culture, complemented with the local cuisine, sports drinks, religious performances, dance and songs. The festival is the ideal chance to capture the true essence of Bhutan and its scenic beauty. Locals and tourists come together to celebrate the culture, heritage, religion and sports of Bhutan. The festival mainly dedicated to the nomads of Haa Valley. It showcases some of the most consequential moments and cultures of these nomads during this festival in the form of vibrant pictures and lively paintings.
This is an ideal time for tourists to visit the majestic Haa Valley and explore the country’s traditional sports and music. The best part of Haa summer festival is that even tourists can take part in some fun activities like yak riding, folk dance, and food tasting. The next haa festival with special events and features among fascinating atmosphere will take place on 8th to 9th July of 2023.
They have organized the festival in keeping with the request from the local communities living in and around snow leopard area. The festival is for local people; however, if any tourists happen to be trekking in that area on that date, it’s an opportunity for them to join the festival. Many International Tourists even book their travel to Bhutan to witness this Festival.
The festival which happens for around 2 days which will be on 14th & 15th October 2021 and considered being one of the exquisite events to witness. There is a magnificent theme to rejoice and locals add life to the entire celebration. The festival takes place at the foothills of the heels of Mt. Jomolhari. This festival also includes a snow leopard show which aims in spreading awareness on the declining number of snow leopards.
The festival includes cultural performances, traditional sporting activities such as horse riding, and also a sampling of the local delicacies of the highland. During the trek, tourists will come across diverse flora and fauna; however the highlight of the trek remains the spectacular view of the Mt. Jomolhari from the base-camp.
The annual Black-necked Crane Festival is a one-day event celebrated at Gangtey-Phobjikha valley in Wangduephodrang district in Central Bhutan. This festival holds quite popularity among the locals, celebrated at the Gangtey Gompa courtyard in the Phobjikha Valley, it uses this festival as a medium to pass on a message to mankind.
The festival celebrated annually in the Phobjikha valley on 11th November. Every winter the cranes migrate south to the valley from Tibet and fly back early spring. The festival is an occasion for the locals to celebrate the majestic birds to their valley. The committee organizing the festival makes up many locals who committed to growing and preserving this tradition. The festival aims to raise awareness and encourage locals to conserve the environment for these endangered species and also offer economic incentives for the locals. The festival includes a cultural program such as folk songs, the masked dance performed by locals, students and monks in the community.
Norway
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