Thimphu Tshechu is a popular Bhutanese festival which takes place in the fall. Spread over a 4 day period, the Thimphu Tshechu attracts thousands of people, both local and international tourist. The Tshechus are religious in nature. Masked dances are performed depicting popular themes from the Buddhist mythology and folklore. This year, the Thimphu Tshechu was held from 27 – 30 September.
The mask dances are performed to the music played by these monks.
In between the religious mask dances, traditional secular folk dances are also performed.
This is an Atsara. Atsara is a clown, but if you dig deeper, they have a very significant role to play.
The dancers wear very colourful and elaborate costumes to perform the chham – the dance.
The chham or the dance is a series of very intricate circular movement with varying tempo.
A chham can last from 15 minutes to over an hour.
The monks who perform the dance go through strict spiritual mediation before performing the dance.
An Atsara having a drink of dachu (whey) during a break.
Most Atsaras carry wooden phalluses. They provide the lightness to the otherwise serious festival.
The Atsaras are very popular with tourists.
Thousands of people gather at the Dzong to witness these dances.
The Thimphu Tshechu is a major tourist attraction.
A senior monk performing the wine (duetsi) ceremony during the dances.
According to Bhutanese etiquette, u cannot wear any hat or an umbrella, come rain or shine. But children can.
Zuel chham or the the exit dance.
A dancer being helped out of his mask after the performance.
Monks watching out for the backstage.
A monk who just performed is seen drinking Red Bull. Changing times.
The 1 year old Tendril Thang at the Thimphu Tashichhodzong has very good facilities for the spectators as well as the performers.
A dancer just finishing his performance entering the changing room backstage.
Younger monks helping the performers.
During the zuel chham, all the performers dance one at a time, making their exit.
During the zuel chham, all the performers dance one at a time, making their exit.
The chham is not an easy dance to perform.
Monks go thhrough years of intensive mental and physical training before they can perform the dance.
It requires much physical endurance to be able to perform the chham.
It requires much physical endurance to be able to perform the chham.
One Comment
beautiful photographs which not only capture the forgotten, often overlooked subtleties of movement and meaning within our Bhutanese mask dances. Reminds us that if we actually pay attention there’s a lot of depth to what we tend to consider routine and regular. Of course, the mask dances are always a splendour of color and beauty for the foreigner, but with these more intimate glimpses into the whole process of mask dancing, from the backstage to the glory of the spotlight, these photographs push even the local Bhutanese to embrace a new perspective.