Experience The Vibrant Paro Tshechu Festival of Bhutan (2022)

The Paro Tshechu Festival is a religious event held in Bhutan during the months of March and April. It is a vibrant and colorful celebration that showcases the rich cultural heritage of the country. The festival takes place in the Paro Dzong (fortress) courtyard, which is considered to be one of the most magnificent dzongs in Bhutan. The festival is a joyous occasion that is marked by masked dances, music, and traditional performances.The Paro Tshechu Festival is held to honor Guru Rinpoche, a Buddhist master who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. The word ‘Tshechu’ translates to ‘tenth day’ and is celebrated on the tenth day of a particular month based on the lunar calendar. The first Paro Tshechu festival was held in the 17th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the founder of the Bhutanese state and the ‘Je Khenpo’ (Chief Abbot) of Bhutan.During the festival, the locals dress up in their finest traditional attire, and colorful masks are worn by the performers for the masked dances. The dancers, who are mostly monks, represent different deities and demons from Bhutanese mythology and perform elaborate dance routines that tell stories of good triumphing over evil. It is believed that by watching these dances, one can overcome their inner demons and achieve enlightenment.The festival also features folk songs and performances by local musicians, adding to the vibrant and lively atmosphere of the event. Traditional Bhutanese food and snacks are also available for guests to try and enjoy.One of the highlights of the Paro Tshechu festival is the unfurling of the Thangka (religious scroll painting) on the final day of the event. This Thangka is known as ‘Thongdrel’ and is considered to be sacred. It is believed that just by viewing the Thongdrel, one can be liberated from their sins.If you are planning to attend the Paro Tshechu festival in 2022, make sure to book your tickets and accommodation in advance as the festival attracts a large number of tourists from all around the world. It is truly a one-of-a-kind experience that you will not want to miss. The Paro Tshechu Festival is a colorful and vibrant religious celebration that takes place in Bhutan during the months of March and April. The festival is held in the Paro Dzong courtyard and showcases the rich cultural heritage of the country. It is a joyous occasion marked by masked dances, traditional performances, and delicious Bhutanese food. The festival is held to honor Guru Rinpoche, a Buddhist master who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th century. The word ‘Tshechu’ translates to ‘tenth day’ and the festival is celebrated on the tenth day of a particular month based on the lunar calendar. The Paro Tshechu festival was first held in the 17th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the founder of the Bhutanese state and the ‘Je Khenpo’ (Chief Abbot) of Bhutan. During the festival, locals dress up in their finest traditional attire and colorful masks are worn by the performers for the masked dances. The dancers represent different deities and demons from Bhutanese mythology and their elaborate dance routines tell stories of good triumphing over evil. It is believed that by watching these dances, one can overcome their inner demons and achieve enlightenment. The festival also features folk songs and performances by local musicians, adding to the vibrant and lively atmosphere of the event. The unfurling of the Thangka (religious scroll painting) on the final day of the festival is a major highlight. It is known as ‘Thongdrel’ and is considered to be sacred. By viewing the Thongdrel, it is believed that one can be liberated from their sins. If you’re planning to attend the Paro Tshechu festival in 2022, make sure to book your tickets and accommodation in advance. The festival attracts a large number of tourists from all around the world and is a one-of-a-kind experience that you don’t want to miss.