FESTIVALS

Origin and importance of Tshechu
The Tshechu is a festival in honour of Padmasambhava, “one who was born from the lotus flower”, popularly known as “Guru Rinpoche”, the Precious Teacher. This Indian saint contributed enormously to the diffusion of Tantric Buddhism in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan etc. around 800 A.D. he is the founder of Nyingmapa, the “old school” of Mahayana Buddhism, which still has numerous episodes on the model of the Buddha Shakyamuni’s life. The festival of sacred dances is held annually. It was Drukpa Kuenley’s descendant, Tenzin Rabgye, the 4th Temporal Ruler, who established the tradition of Tshechu in 1670 on the 10th day of the 8th month of the Bhutanese calendar to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche. The dates and the duration of the festival vary from one district to another but they always take place on or around the 10th day of the month according to the Bhutanese calendar. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Pema Lingpa established many of the dances performed during tsechus.

During tshechu, the monks as well as laymen perform the dances. The dancers take on the aspects of wrathful and compassionate deities, heroes, demons and animals. The dances known as cham, bring blessing upon the onlookers, instruct them in dharma (Buddhist teachings), protect them from misfortune and exorcise evil influences. The tshechu is a religious festival and by attending it, it is believed one gains merits. Deities are invoked during the dances. Through their power and benediction misfortunes may be destroyed, luck increased and wishes realized. It is also a yearly social gathering where the people come together to rejoice. People come for tshechu dressed in their finery.

Sample Festival Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Dance of the Lord of Death and his Consort (Shinje Yab Yum)
Costume: Long brocade dress, buffalo mask.
Religious origin and explanation: the Bodhisatava Manjushiri (Jampelyang) represents the body of Wisdom of all the Buddhas. When he is in the form of the terrifying Lord of Death, he becomes the Lord (Je) of the Dead (Shin) and thus is called Shinje. He is also the Lord of the Three Worlds that he protects and makes judgment. His wrathful buffalo face guards the four continents.

Dance of the Black Hats (Zhana)
Costume: Large black hats, felt boots, long colorful brocade gown, no mask.
Religious origin and explanation: this ground purification rite is also performed on the occasions of construction of dzongs, temples and stupas to conciliate the malevolent beings of the ground in order to take possessions of the site from them.

The black hat dancers assume the appearance of Yogis who show great and passionate anger externally but actually have accomplished peaceful minds. They posses the power of killing and recreating life. They subdue and liberate beings that cannot be led by peace. The five poisonous enemies, which are the sins, disappear in the sphere of emptiness.

This dance is also referred to as “Gar” dance. It is derived from the different traditions of the tantras (text of Northern Buddhism). It is said that with the help of the Gods who have meditated deeply upon the mantras (sacred formulae) the “Gar” which are the gestures of the dancers hands, transformed into mudras (sacred mystic gestures) and their feet, which pound the earth, form a mandala (mystic geometric figure). The Black Hat Dancers performing the ritual build a mandala and cut the demons into pieces. They thus safeguard the earth and dance the step of the thunderbolt to impress their power on it.

Dance of the Black Hats with Drums (Zhana Nga Cham)
Religious origin and explanation: The Black Hats beat the drums, the sound of which resounds throughout the Three Worlds in honor of the victory of religion over their enemies and the destruction of malevolent spirits. The drum sounds represent the Dharma itself, which cannot be represented in any other way because it has no visible form.

Dance of the Drum Beaters from Dramitse (Dramitse Ngacham)
Costume: Knee-length yellow skirt, animal mask, drums.
Religious origin and explanation: The learned Lam Kunga Gyeltshen had, like Terton Pema Lingpa before him, a vision of Guru Rinpoche and his Paradise. He saw the attendants of Ugyen Rinpoche transform into a hundred peaceful and terrifying deities. They danced with big drums in their left hands and drumsticks in their right hands. Lam Kunga Gyeltshen depicted his vision in this dance, which he composed in the Eastern Bhutanese monastery of Dramitse and known as The Dance of the Drum from Dramitse.

The Accompaniment Dance (Kyecham)
Costume: Knee-length skirts, bare-feet, animal masks, sword in the right hand.
Religious origin and explanation: When King Norzang of north Indian land called Naden left to subdue enemies further north, the protectors and guardians of the doctrine and the assembly of the King’s tutelary deities were his armed companions. This is classical explanation of this dance, hence its name.

One other explanation is related to another dance, the Phole Mole. This version talks of a once compatible couple whose marriage, when shaken by the trails of a love-triangle, ends with the husband cutting off his wife’s nose. The story reinforces the universal law that says there is no real substance in worldly components. Many people behave similarly and bring upon themselves sufferings in their current lives and the lives to come. Faith in the Buddhist creed, on the other hand, allows one to realize happiness from knowing that the three jewels (Buddha, Religion and Community of the believers) are refuges that never fail.

Dance of the Three Kinds of Ging – with sticks, swords and drums
Costume: Knee-length skirts and masks are common to all dancers. The dancers with sticks, however, wear different animal masks.
Religious origin and explanation: this is the visual representation of the subduing of the Jyungpo Nyulema (obstacles to the Dharma) demons by the Ging, emanations of Guru Rinpoche, as seen by the great Terton (treasure discoverer) Pemalingpa (1450-1521) on his visit to Zangtopelri (paradise of Guru Rinpoche).

The Nyulema demons may flee anywhere in the Three Worlds but the Ging with the sticks find them, catch them with the hook of compassion, beat them with the stick of wisdom and tie them with noose of compassion. The sword-wielding Ging send the minds of the demons to the paradise of pure consciousness and use the bodies of the demons as sacrificial offerings. That done, the Ging with the drums dance with happiness, their drum propagating religion, luck and happiness to all living beings.

Dance of the Nobleman and the Ladies (Pholey Moley) and the Accompaniment Dance (Keycham)
Religious origin and explanation: Like the one that precedes it, this dance draws from the biography of King Norzang of Naden in north Indian and continues the themes of fidelity tested by physical distance and mutilation. King Norzang’s northern crusade separated him from Yidrogma, his favorite of the 500 queens married. His eventual return, though, sees an ending reminiscent of the Odysseus-Penelope reunion.

What really happens in the dance is closer to a comical play than a dance. Two princes go to war, leaving behind two princesses in the care of an old couple. As soon as they depart, teams of clowns try to frolic with the princesses and corrupt the old woman who behaves immorally as well. Upon returning from war the princes are scandalized by the behavior of the princesses and the old woman and cut off their noses as punishment. A doctor is called to put the noses back but the old woman stinks so much that the doctor has to use a stick to do the job. Finally the princes marry the princesses and everybody is reconciled.

Dance of the Stags and the Hounds (Shawa Shachi)
Religious origin and explanation: Generally performed like a play in two parts this dance represents the conversion to Buddhism of an animal hunter, Gonpo Dorji, by the great saint Jetsun Milarepa (1040 – 1123)

Once, while in meditation, Milarepa heard a man shouting and a dog barking. Upon coming out of his cave he saw a red-haired stag sweating and trembling with fear. Milarepa sang a religious song that caused the stag to forget fear and lie down on his right. Chasing the stag, a red dog, evident fiery with wrath appeared. It succumbed to the pacifying effect of Milarepa’s song just as easily and lay down as well. Then comes the frighteningly fierce hunter, Gonpo Dorji, carrying a bow and arrows. Enraged at the sight of Milarepa and two animals at peace, he shot a poisonous arrow at the saint. Gonpo Dorji’s bow broke into pieces, the string of the bow was cut and his arrow turned back towards him. Milarepa then sang another song that filled Gonpo Dorji with a violent regret for all wrongful actions he had committed before. The hunter took an oath not to sin again, embraced religion and eventually attained full realization.

The first part of this dance is somewhat comical. The hunter’s servant appears and jokes with the clowns. Then comes the hunter crowned with leaves and carrying a bow and arrows. He is accompanied by two dogs (instead of one). The servant jokes with the atsaras (clowns) and even disrespectfully with his master who performed pre-hunting rituals in a way contrary to the Buddhist tradition.

The second part has a more serious and religious tone. Milarepa appears wearing a long white dress, white hat and holds a pilgrim’s staff. He sings with a soft voice and has his right hand near his ear. The stag, the two dogs and the hunter, one after the other, arrive in Milarepa’s presence and he converts them with his song. The conversion is symbolized by a rope that the hounds and the hunter have to jump over.

Day 2
Dance of the Lord of the Cremation Ground (Durdag)
Costume: White short skirts, white boots and white skull masks.
Religious origin and explanation: On the external edges of a symbolic mandala where the assembly of the secret tantric deities reside, there are eight large cremation grounds. Living there are numerous protectors of the religion (Chhokyong) among whom are included the lords of the Cremation Grounds who are bound by an oath to protect the dharma from its demonic enemies. They also protect the grounds. The lords render the demons powerless, offer them to the gods of the mandala and reduce them to mere name.

Dance of the Terrifying Deities (Tungam)
Costume: Beautiful brocade dresses, boots and terrifying masks.
Religious origin and explanation: This dance is intended to deliver all sentient beings by showing them the Zangtopelri, the paradise of Guru Rinpoche. Here Guru Rincoche takes the fiery form of Dorji Dragpo (The Fierce Thunderbolt) because it is the only alternative to liberating the men and demons that oppose Buddhism. This dramatic dance is hence deep in symbolic meaning. The dancers representing the gods enclose the evil spirits in a circle and in a box after which the god who holds the phurba, the ritual dagger, kills them. He thus saves the world from them and he delivers them into salvation at the same time.

Dance of the Rakshas and the Judgement of the Dead (Raksha Mangcham)
Religious origin and explanation: The origin is derived from the Sutras and Trantras as well as the Bardo Thoedrol (Book of the Dead), discovered by the 14th century treasure discoverer, Pemalingpa. When all beings die Shinje Chhogyel, the lord of Death, sits over the judgement of all souls. His helpers, the Rakshas, separate with equanimity the white (right) actions from the black (wrong) actions of all, depicted in the dance as the cases of the virtuous Chimdapelkye and the sinful Nyelwabum.
The dance lasts about two hours. First, there is the dance of the Rakshas. Then Shinje himself appears, symbolized by a huge puppet holding a mirror. After he sits all his helpers take places in two rows in front of him. The judgement begins. First the Black Demon and the main helpers perform a dance. The visibly frightened sinner then arrives and tries repeatedly to escape but is recaptured each time. A freshly severed cow’s head is taken out of his basket, implying that he killed it. The white God sings of the merits of the man while the Black Demon exposes the sins of the man. Finally a black strip of cloth symbolizing the road to hell is spread and then the sinner is sent to hell.
This is followed by a general dance after which everyone assumes their former seating positions. Then arrives the white-clad virtuous man holding a prayer flag and ceremonial scarf, which altogether imply his virtues. The trial is re-enacted and concludes with the laying of a white strip of cloth symbolizing the road to heaven. Fairies dressed in brocade and bone ornaments come to fetch the man. The Black Demon, furious at having lost a being, attempts to grab the man. He is unsuccessful.

Day 3
Dance of the Four Stag (Shacham)
Costume: The stags are wearing knee length skirts and horned deer masks.
Religious origin and explanation: This dance represents Guru Rinpoche’s (Ugyen Rinpoche) subjugation of the God of Wind, who oppressed the world and all sentient being in it. Ugyen Rinpoche rode his victim’s mount, a stag, and appeased all beings by reestablishing peace and happiness in the world.
As a blessing, the first incarnation of Nam Nying (Namkhe Nyingpo) found the effigy of a face of the stag. During this dance the gratitude of the pious people is demonstrated to all beings destined to be converted in the future.

Dance of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche (Guru Tshen Gyel)
Religious origin and explanation: This dance shows the eight different forms that Guru Rinpoche assumed in order to bring different beings into the Buddhist fold:
1. Guru Tshokye Dorji (Diamond Thunderbolt Born from the lake).
2. Guru Shakya Senge (The Lion of the Shakya Clan).
3. Guru Loden Chogsey (Guru who aspires from the supreme knowledge).
4. Guru Padmasasbhava (Lotus Born).
5. Guru Pema Gyalpo (Lotus-King)
6. Guru Nima Yeoser (Sunbeam)
7. Guru Senge Dradok (The one who speaks with a lion voice).
8. Guru Dorji Dragpo (Terrifying Thunderbolt) and Guru Dorji Drolo (Thunderbolt).

The fairy standing on the right of the Guru is Mandarava, the lady of wisdom. Ugyen Rinpoche made her his own emanation for the benefit of the beings to be converted in the Kingdom of Zahor. The fairy to his left is Yeshey Tshogyel. She is a representation of the Goddess of knowledge, mother of all the Buddhas. She helped to establish Buddhism in Tibet. The sixteen fairies (Rigma Chudrug) are emanations of the same person. They are Goddesses of offerings.
The Guru Tshen Gyel dance is said to bring total happiness to people. A changeless faith in the glorious deeds of Ugyen Rinpoche’s mind, speech and body is born to them.

Dance of the Lord of the Cremation Ground (Durdag)
See dance # 1 of the day two programme

Dance of the Ging and Tsholing (Ging Dang Tsholing)
Costume: The Tsholing wear long colourful dresses and masks. The Ging wear orange skirts that hang like a skin, terrifying black and orange masks with flags on top, carry big drums.
Religious origin and explanation: Guru Rinpoche initiated this dance on the occasion of the consecration of the Samye monastery in Tibet in order to show to the people of Tibet his paradise of Zangtopelri. All the protectors of the religion, male and female in their fierce forms guard the four outer doors while the four Guardian Kings of the directions command an army of the eight classes of spirits. These subdue all the demons, enemies such as devilish heretics that create obstacles to the Doctrine of Buddha.
An assembly of heroes (Pawos), tutelary deities, fairies and various terrifying deities perform the inner dance, called the Ging. The outer dance, called Tsholing, is performed by the protectors of the religion with their retinue of eight classes of spirit.
This dance is performed in order to remove obstacles to the Doctrine just as it is a dance of purification before the arrival of Guru Rinpoche in the following dance. People whistle to chase away the bad spirits and the Ging hit people on the head with their drumsticks to chase impurity out of their bodies.

Dance of the Stags and the Hounds (Shawa Shachi)
See dance # 8 of day one programme. (Part two)

Day 4
Guru Thongdrol
On the last day of the tshechu, a large thongdrol (religious figures embroidered on brocade) is unfurled before sunrise from the wall of the dzong. Thongdrol literally means ‘liberation on sight’, and it is believed that simply viewing one of these large relics washes one’s sins away. When the thongdrol is rolled up again to put back into the safety of dzong, the old people pray to ensure that they will live other year to see the thongdrol againg the following year.

Dance of the Hero (Pacham)
Costume: Yellow skirts and golden crowns. The maskless dancers hold bells and drums.
Religious origin and explanation: It was at Zangtopelri that Pemalingpa witnessed Ugyen Rinpoche, the Lord who leads the being of the three worlds; sit among the assistants in the center of a limitless mandala of rainbows. Within this mandala, a congregation of the sages, the tutelary deities, the heroes (Pawos) and the heroines (Khandom Pamo) dance in the form of various emanations of peaceful and terrifying deities. The assembly of the peaceful heroes and heroines is the most important. Their function is to lead the dead out of this world and into the presence of Ugyen Rinpoche.

Dance of the Guitar (Dranyen Cham)
Costume: Elaborate and heavy woolen cloths, traditional felt boots, long black skirts, yellow shirt, brown coat, sword and circular head dress. One dancer is holding a dranyen (guitar)
Religious origin and explanation: This is a cheerful dance that celebrates the establishment and diffusion of the Drukpa School in Bhutan by Zhabdrung Nawang Namgyel. The Zhabdrung brought under his control the large southern land of four approaches (Lhomen Kha Zhee) as Bhutan was once known and blessed it. He protected his subjects by the heavy golden yoke of law and vanquished many foreign enemies. He built grand temples, palaces and beautiful chortens and wrote religious books.

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