A tshechu (, literally "tenth day") is any of the annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a month of the lunar Tibetan calendar. The month depends on the place. Tshechus are religious festivals of the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Tshechus are large social gatherings, which perform the function of social bonding among people of remote and spread-out villages. Large markets also congregate at the fair locations, leading to brisk commerce.Dancing on the demon's back: the dramnyen dance and song of Bhutan, by Elaine Dobson, John Blacking Symposium: Music Culture and Society, Callaway Centre, University of Western Australia, July 2003 The Thimphu tshechu and the Paro tshechu are among the biggest of the tshechus in terms of participation and audience. They are related to traditions in other branches of Himalayan Buddhism, many of which have been banned in Tibet.
Tshechu traditions The focal point of the tshechus are Cham dances. These costumed, masked dances typically are moral vignettes, or based on incidents from the life of the 9th century Nyingma teacher Padmasambhava and other saints. Typically, monks perform unmasked in certain group dances, including the Black Hat dance, while laymen perform masked, in largely different plays. The monks are generally very precise in their movement, while some roles played by laymen involve considerable athleticism (such as the leaping dog shown below, who repeats this move over and over again). Groups of women perform songs, with limited dance movements, in between the plays.
Most tshechus also feature the unfurling of a thongdrel - a large appliqué thangka typically depicting a seated Padmasambhava surrounded by holy beings, the mere viewing of which is said to cleanse the viewer of sin. The thongdrel is raised before dawn and rolled down by morning.
Because tshechus depend on the availability of masked dancers, registered dancers are subject to fine if they refuse to perform during festivals.
History of Tshechus
Padmasambhava, the great scholar, visited Tibet and Bhutan in the 8th century and 9th century. He used to convert opponents of Buddhism by performing rites, reciting mantras and finally performing a dance of subjugation to conquer local spirits and gods. He visited Bhutan to aid the dying king Sindhu Raja. Padmasambhava performed a series of such dances in the Bumthang Valley to restore the health of the king. The grateful king helped spread Buddhism in Bhutan. Padmasambhava organized the first tshechu in Bumthang, where the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava were presented through eight forms of dances. These became the Cham dances depicting the glory of Padmasambhava.
Although the tradition began as a monastic practice, the first full public celebration took place in 1690 CE at Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu. Schedule The dance schedule for each day of the four-day festival is set out and generally consists of the following dances. On the first day, the performances cover: Dance of the Four Stags (Sha Tsam); Dance of the Three kinds of Ging (Pelage Gingsum); Dance of the Heroes (Pacham), Dance of the Stags and Hounds (Shawo Shachi) and Dance with Guitar (Dranyeo Cham) On the second day the dances performed are: The Black Hat Dance (Shana), Dance of the 21 black hats with drums (Sha nga ngacham), Dance of the Noblemen and the Ladies (Pholeg Moleg), Dance of the Drums from Dramitse (Dramitse Ngacham), Dance of the Noblemen and the Ladies (Pholeg Moleg) and Dance of the Stag and Hounds (Shawa Shachi) On the third day, the dances performed are: Dance of the Lords of the Cremation Grounds (Durdag), Dance of the Terrifying Deities (Tungam) and Dance of the Rakshas and the Judgement of the Dead (Ragsha Mangcham) On the last day of the festival, the dances performed cover: Dance of Tamzhing Monastery in Jakar, Dance of the Lords of the Cremation grounds (the same dance as day 3), Dance of the Ging and Tsoling (Ging Dang Tsoling) and Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava (Guru Tshen Gye).
The last day of the four-day festival also marks the unfurling of the Thongdrel, a very large scroll painting or thangka, which is unfurled with intense religious fervour, early in the morning. This painting measuring × has the images of Padmasambhava at the centre flanked by his two consorts and also his eight incarnations. Devotees who gather to witness this occasion offer obeisance in front of the Thongdrel seeking blessings. Folk dances are performed on the occasion. Before sunrise, the painting is rolled up and kept in the Dzong before it is displayed again one year later.Palin, pp. 269–270
List of tshechus Below is a list of major tshechus in Bhutan, along with their 2011 dates. Dates in other years will vary.
+ Bhutan tshechu dates (2011) Date Tsechu Location January 2–04 Trongsa Tshechu Trongsa January 2–04 Lhuntse Tshechu Lhuntse January 2–04 Pemagatshel Tshechu Pemagatshel January 9 Shingkhar Metochodpa Bumthang January 9–13 Nabji Lhakhang Drup Trongsa February 10–15 Punakha Dromache & Tshechu Punakha February 17–21 Tangsibi Mani Bumthang February 18 Chorten Kora Trashiyangtse February 18 Tharpaling Thongdrol Bumthang February 19–21 Buli Mani Chumey Bumthang February–March(1st month, 7th day) Trashiyangtse Tsechu Trashiyangtse March 4 Chorten Kora (2nd) Trashiyangtse March 13–15 Gomkora Trashigang March 13–15 Talo Tshechu Talo, Punakha March 13–16 Zhemgang Tshechu Zhemgang March 15–19 Paro Tshechu Paro March 17–19 Chhukha Tshechu Chukha October 16–25 Phuentsholing Tshechu Phuentsholing April 1–03 Gaden Chodpa Ura, Bumthang May 12–14 Domkhar Festival Chhume, Bumthang May 14–18 Ura Yakchoe Ura, Bumthang June 19–21 Padsel–Ling Kuchod Bumthang June Laya Bumkhosa Festival (Bongkor) Laya July 8–10 Nimalung Tshechu Bumthang July 9–10does not move Alpine Ha, Haa July 10 Kurjey Tshechu Bumthang July 29 Gangte Kurim Gangte, Wangdue Phodrang October 1–05 Thimphu Drupchen Thimphu October 4–06 Wangdue Tshechu Wangdue Phodrang October 4–06 Gangte Drubchen & Tshechu Gangte, Wangdue Phodrang October 6–08 Tamshingphala Choepa Bumthang October 6–08 Gasa Tshechu District Gasa October 6–08 Thimphu Tshechu Thimphu October 10–12 Thangbi Mani Bumthang November 1–05 Shingkhar Rabney Ura, Bumthang November 3–06 Jakar Tshechu Jakar, Bumthang November 10–14 Jambay Lakhang Drup Bumthang November 11–13 Prakhar Duchoed Bumthang November 12does not move Black Necked Crane Festival Gangte, Wangdue Phodrang November 22–25 Sumdrang Kangsol Ura, Bumthang December 2–05 Trashigang Tshechu Trashigang December 2–05 Mongar Tshechu Mongar December 3–04 Tang Namkha Rabney Tang Bumthang December 10 Singye Cham, Jambay Lhakhang Bumthang December 10–12 Nalakhar Tshechu Bumthang December 10–13 Chojam Rabney Tang Bumthang
In popular culture The Bhutanese film Travellers and Magicians is set among a group of travellers, most of whom are going to the Thimphu tshechu.
See also List of Buddhist festivals Sho Dun Festival, similar festival in Tibet, western China Poya, similar concept in Sri Lanka however revolves around the cycle of the full moon of the lunar calendar
References