Thimphu Tshechu

On September 27th, Matt and I attended the final day of the Thimphu Tshechu with three of our friends: Chris, Liz, and Samir. Tshechus are religious festivals that are held yearly across the country in temples, monasteries, and dzongs. The Thimphu Tshechu is held on the 9th-12th days of the eighth Bhutanese month at Tashichhodzong, which means "the fortress of the glorious religion". This dzong houses the offices of the Royal Government of Bhutan and the central monastic body. The throne room of the kind of Bhutan is also housed here. For centuries the Tshechu was held in the central courtyard of Tashichhodzong but due to increased attendance, a Tshechu stadium named Tendrel Thang ('Auspicious Ground') was built.

Walking to the dzong

Roof detail from inside Tendrel Thang

Painting detail under awning. Detailed painting like this is common on all
Bhutanese-style buildings, though is not usually this elaborate.

Looking out at the mountains from underneath an awning.

Entrance to the Tshechu stadium, Tendrel Thang

According to the booklet we purchased at the Tshechu called "Thimphu Tshechu: Sights and Sounds of Bhutan's Biggest Festival" (where I also got much of the background for this post), "Tshechu is not simply a festival conducted for entertainment; it is a series of sacred events choreographed to promote happiness yet with the intent to untimely cultivate an enlightened mind in all attendees. The festival is a sacred event conducted by fully ordained monks and enlightened masters."

During the Thimphu Tshechu, 24 folk songs and 25 religious mask dances (chhams) are performed. Some chhams are said to be composed by great saints and are meant to convey religious messages. During the dances, "the deities of the tantric teachings are invoked and through their power and blessings, misfortunes are removed." These dances are performed by monks wearing prescribed masks and costumes that are often ancient and are unique to each chham. The chhams are representative of a connection between spectators and dancers, who are believed to pass the spiritual powers to the faithful. The chhams and the Tshchu itself complement and exemplify Buddhist teachings and doctrines.

Below are photos of a few of the dances that we saw. The first two photos are of Pacham (Dance of the Heroes). Below these two photos is the description of the dance taken directly from the aforementioned booklet.

Pacham (Dance of the Heroes)

Pacham (Dance of the Heroes)

Costume: Knee-lenth skirt and golden crown. The dancers hold a small bell (Drilbu) and a small drum (Damaru).

More than once in his illustrious life as a treasure revealer, Pema Lingpa (1450-1521) experienced the vision of the divine palace of Guru Rinpoche known as Zangdo Peldri and many sacred dances exhibited in both wrathful and peaceful forms. Pena Pingpa was fascinated by these wonderful dances performed by enlightened beings.

This particular dance is usually performed for one of two occasions: either during the deity invocation ceremony or when welcoming important guests. During the supplication prayer, this dance is performed inside prayer halls and temples as a gesture to invoke and welcome Guru Rinpoche and his entourage. During this performance, the dancers do not wear makes but beautiful crowns adorned with the five syllables of the five Buddha Families, or alternately, the Five Dakini Syllables. These include, Om, Hum, Tram, Hri, and Ah or, in the case of the Dakinis, Mum, Lam, Mam, Pam and Tam.

Bhutanese folk dances are performed as interludes between mask dances

The next two photos are of Durdag (Dance of the Lords of the Cremation Grounds). Again, the description that follows the photos is from the booklet.

Durdag (Dance of the Lords of the Cremation Grounds) 

Durdag (Dance of the Lords of the Cremation Grounds) 

Costume: White skull masks, short skirts, white boots

Four dancers - emanations of Avalokiteshvara and Buddha Vajrahekura who dwell at the cemetery in order to help liberate departed consciousness - perform this dance. Some sources maintain they are the emanation of Lhamo Dudsolma (Mahakali). The completely white-colored costume exemplifies the purity of liberating both action and mind; even though their outer appearance is frightening, they have removed their attachement to outer form and appearances.

During the course of the performance, the dancers destroy an effigy and offer the remnants to the tutlary deities of the ten directions, This action liberates the negative spirits to the pure land. The dancers also shake their hands and stamp their feer in an act of both calling the spirits and subjugating them. They deeply band backward, touching the ground behind and beneath them with the tip of their mask. This action summons the earth deity to witness their power and subdue attachments and liberate the spirits of the deceased.

The next two pictures are of two different types of atsara, which I have seen translated as "festival clown". However, read the following excerpt from an article by Françoise Pommaret for a more accurate description of their importance at festivals.

"The atsara and their antics during the festival also illustrate this point. They are indispensable in the Bhutanese religious festival context. Their name itself derives from the Sanskrit acarya, philosophy masters, and they teach that masters can appear under any form, even as a bawdy jester. The atsara are there to assist the dancers, and entertain the public during or in the interval of rather solemn dances. Like a talk-show host on TV today, they transcend the hierarchy of the society and have a mass appeal with their mockeries and sexual jokes, but they know their limits in the context of Bhutanese society.

However, when they encounter foreigners during the festivals, they step into another world where they have no cultural references and therefore no boundaries. The way atsara perceive foreigners and how
foreigners perceive atsara is a reflection and distortion of each other's culture through mutual ignorance. If we speak in contemporary terms, for the foreigners the atsara are just clowns and their religious function is not apparent."

Pommaret, F. (2006). Dances in Bhutan: A traditional medium of information. Centre for Bhutan Studies. pp. 1-10.

It is common to give money (small bills) or other offerrings to the atsara that work the crowds. The crowd-atsara tell jokes, make fun of people, and certainly do act like the jesters that Pommaret described above. You might also take note that the atsara below has a large phallus dangling from his head. Other atsaras we saw were carrying large wooden penises and inflated condoms. As both Matt and I have alluded to in other posts, the phallus is an interesting and complex symbol in Bhutan. From a Western perspective, it can be interpreted as a symbol of masculinity and - perhaps - misogyny. However, the phallus, in Bhutan, is more accurately described as a symbol of luck and protection and is featured on the sides of buildings and also carried around as wooden talismans.

Atsara participating in Dance of the Lords of the Cremation Grounds

Atsara interacting with crowd

Me, Samir, Matt and Chris with an atsara

As you have probably gathered from the above descriptions, Tshechus are very important sacred events in the lives of the Bhutanese (it is considered a blessing to be able to attend). And the Thimphu Tshechu is the biggest of the year. According to the booklet it is "one of the most joyful and colorful occasions in the valley". People dress in their finest clothing which, if you are Bhutanese, must be a gho or kira adorned with either a kabney (for men) or a rachu (for women). We even saw a tourist get turned away because she was wearing a kira but not a rachu. Oops! If you want to go in, you have to go all in. Another tourist was turned away for wearing shorts.

Fellow spectators

Umbrellas are important for protection for the intense sun

Dressed to impress

And finally:

Matt and me at the Tshechu