The Tsechu Festival grounds on the north side of Thimphu Dzong |
The Teschu Festival in Thimphu is one of Bhutan's largest festivals, held the first week of each October |
A Bhutanese boy showing off his 6th finger |
Dennis with some local boys at the Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu, Bhutan |
A long line for a blessing |
Line for the blessing |
The blessing line leads here...we skipped that part |
The masked figure represent the guru Tshongkhapa |
Bhutanese men in white sashes (kabney) keeping order among the crowd |
We made it to Thimphu just in time for the last half of the last day of the Tsechu Festival |
Dancers with drums, Tsechu Festival |
Dancers with drums, Tsechu Festival |
Bhutanese dancer with drum, Tsechu Festival |
Bhutanese dancer with drum, Tsechu Festival |
Dancing at the Tsechu Festival |
Cham Dance, Teschu Festival |
Bhutanese dancers |
Female dancer, Teschu Festival |
The Je Khenpo, the Chief Abbot of the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan |
The Je Khenpo is the top religious authority in Bhutan |
The Je Khenpo of Bhutan |
Our driver had a Je Khempo sticker on our car in Bhutan |
Monks lining the balcony to watch the dancers |
Gallery of monks watching the Tsechu Festival dances, Thimphu Dzong |
Young spectators at the Tsechu Festival |
Young spectators at the Tsechu Festival |
Young spectators at the Tsechu Festival |
Crowds of Bhutanese gathered to watch the Cham dances of the Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
It was as much fun watching the spectators as the dancers |
Man wearing the white sash (kabney) of a commoner |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Bhutanese man wearing a special blue sash called a kabney |
Blue kabney (sash) are reserved for members of the Royal Consultative Council, National Assembly and Members of Parliament |
Other sashes are: yellow-royal, orange-minister, white-commoner, green-judges |
Masked character among the crowd collecting donations |
A-tsa-ra (Joker), a masked character acts a bit like a clown in the crowd while collecting donations |
Bhutanese boy, Tsechu Festival |
Boys having a good time at the Tsechu Festival |
A Bhutanese policeman, exempted from the requirement to wear a gho |
Dancing at the Teschu Festival of Thimphu, Bhutan |
Dancing at the Teschu Festival of Thimphu, Bhutan |
Dancing at the Teschu Festival of Thimphu, Bhutan |
Dancing at the Teschu Festival of Thimphu, Bhutan |
Folk dances accompany the schedule of religious dances |
Bhutanese women in their traditional clothing - wonju and kira |
A Bhutanese boy solemnly watching the proceedings |
It's definitely worthwhile to time your visit to Thimpu to catch the Tsechu Festival, plus October has the year's best weather |
Throngs of the faithful |
Bhutanese policemen keeping the pilgrims in an orderly line |
Bhutanese female dress |
Bhutanese woman wearing traditional dress, Thimphu |
Boys playing in the arcade surrounding the festival ground |
A Bhutanese official (blue sash) giving directions, Tsechu Festival |
There were a few other foreigners present, and the locals all seemed happy to pose for a photo |
Bhutanese boys marching together, arm in arm |
Even the little children wear the gho |
Mother carrying away a little girl |
Line of Bhutanese women at for the blessing, Tsechu Festival |
Hey - take our photo! |
Exotic crowd at the Tsechu Festival, Thimphu, Bhutan |
A warm sunny day for the Tsechu Festival |
The second a-tsa-ra (joker) with a wreath of greens |
Tsechu dancers on the last day of the festival |
Bhutanese dancer with an ornate gilded crown and pointy shoes |
Tsechu Festival Dancer, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival Dancer, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Masked figure in a crowd while a boy make a phone call |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Dancer with a small bell, Tsechu Festival |
Bhutanese woman with a baby tied to her back with a colorful cloth |
Face in the crowd, Tsechu Festival |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
A group of dancers at the Tsechu Festival |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival Dancers, Thimphu |
Dennis with some Bhutanese guys at the Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Little girls, Bhutan |
A friendly smile from the lady in green |
Dennis in line at the Tsechu Festival |
Easy to pick him out with his western dress |
Administration of blessings, Tsechu Festival |
The monk in green touches devotees with the golden hand |
Senior monk at the Tsechu Festival |
Keeping order as the Buddha's blessings are administered |
Bhutanese Buddhist monk at the Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
The blesser with the golden hand, Tsechu Festival |
Masked characters and men with hats of long hair, Tsechu Festival |
Masked characters and men with hats of long hair, Tsechu Festival |
Wide view of the grounds of the Tsechu Festival of Thimphu on the north side of Trashi Chhoe Dzong |
Bhutanese Crowd, Tsechu festival |
A rain of rice, Tsechu Festival |
Guru Rinpoche brought Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th Century |
Monk masked as Guru Rinpoche, Tsechu Festival |
The long haired monks are playing clarinet-like instruments leading Guru Rinpoche |
Umbrella held over the masked monk representing Guru Rinpoche |
A line of Bhutanese men at the Tsechu Festival |
Dancer, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Dancer, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Dorje Droloe, ‘Liberated Diamond-Thunderbolt’ |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Dorje Droloe, ‘Liberated Diamond-Thunderbolt’ |
Dorje Droloe is followed by his entourage of fearsome deities |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Tshokye Dorje, ‘Diamond-Thunderbolt Born from a Lake’ (?) |
Climax of the Four Day Tsechu Festival |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Loden Chogse, ‘He Who Wishes to Acquire Supreme Knowledge’ |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Padmasambhava, ‘Born of the Lotus’ |
Shakya Sengye, ‘Lion of the Shakya Family’ |
Pema Gyelpo, ‘Lotus-King’ - Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Pema Gyelpo, ‘Lotus-King’ - Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Pema Gyelpo, ‘Lotus-King’ - Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Nyima Oezer, ‘Sunbeam’ |
Sengye Drathok, ‘He with the Voice of a Lion’ |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Sengye Drathok, ‘He with the Voice of a Lion’ |
Sengye Drathok, ‘He with the Voice of a Lion’, Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche |
Folk dancers, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Bhutanese men wearing yellow sashes with green and red dots |
Wonderful costumes, Tsechu Festival |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Five-leafed golden crown |
Men wearing head rings with the colors of the Buddhist flag |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
The camera man is having a good time while some kids look on |
"Wai" greetings from young children, Thimphu |
Old Bhutanese woman |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Spectators at the Tsechu Festival, young and old alike |
Senior monks at the Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Colorful crowd at the Tsechu Festival |
Colorful crowd at the Tsechu Festival |
Young friendship, Bhutan |
Bhutanese Monk at the Tsechu Festival |
Folk dancing, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Folk dancing, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Folk dancing, Tsechu Festival, Thimphu |
Pavilion roof, Tsechu Festival |
Painted and carved arcade around the festival grounds |
Dennis with a group of Bhutanese teenagers after the festival wrapped up |
Dennis and a Bhutanese teenager after the Tsechu Festival |