Festivals

Tshechu is a religious festival meaning “tenth day” which is held annually in various temples, monasteries and dzongs throughout the country.

Tshechu is celebrated on tenth day of a month of the lunar calendar corresponding to the birth anniversary of Guru Rimpoche (Guru Padmasambhava). However the exact month of the Tshechu varies from place to place and  temple to temple.

Tshechus are grand events where entire communities come together wearing colorful traditional attires to witness religious mask dances, receive blessings and socialize. In addition to the mask dances, Tshechus also include colorful Bhutanese dances and other forms of entertainments.

It is believed that everyone must attend  Tshechu and witness the mask dances at least once  in their lifetime in order to receive blessings and wash away their sins. Every mask dance performed during  Tshechu has a special meaning and the story behind it are based on  incidents that dates back to the 8th century, during the life of Guru Padmasambhava. In monasteries, the mask dances are performed by monks and in remote villages, they are performed jointly by monks and village men.

Two of the most popular Tshechus in the country are  Paro and Thimphu Tshechus in terms of participation and audience. Besides the locals, many tourists  across the world are attracted to these unique, colorful and exciting displays of traditional culture annually.