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Punakha Dromchoe and Tsechu festivals by Rio Andino
Unless the Trongsa festival falls into January, Punakha festivals are ordinarily the first due monastic events of the year. Though Punakha is but a small hamlet, its dzong, the administrative and religious heart of a region, belongs among the most exceptional structures in all of Bhutan. It is within just the giant courtyard of the dzong where the Phunakha festivals happen. The importance of the Punakha dzong stems from the fact that Punakha was actually once the medieval capitol of Bhutan.
For any tourist to Bhutan the trip to Punakha will begin in Paro. After taking in the sights Paro and Thimphu drive to Punakha departs western Bhutan and crosses into the interior of the country upon reaching the peak of the Dochula Pass. This pass is distinguished for the 108 Druk Wangyel stupas. With hundreds of fluttering prayer flags overhead, the views from the pass in the direction of the snow peaks of the Himalayas to the north are among the very best in western Bhutan. From the pass comes next an extended descend until getting to a junction where the Punakha road branches away from the main highway that continues toward Wangdi.
The Punakha road winds around through a pleasant countryside and woods until the dzong appears at a confluence of two rivers, a strategic spot for a fortress. The dzong is reached by a long suspension bridge. As at any gate to a Bhutanese dzong the visitors are inspected before entering. Local Bhutanese must stick to to stringent dress code before getting into a dzong. Tourists are not needing to follow same guidelines but conservative dress, men in slacks rather than jeans and women with long skirts rather than pants or revealing dresses are a mast.
Punakha festival is comprised of two festivals, staged back to back, with the Dromchoe, or Drubchen, being the first and is succeeded by the Tshechu. The Dromchoe is devoted to Mahakala, the goddess of death and defender of Buddhist goembas, Bhutanese expression for monasteries. As in Bhutan, Mahakala appears is wall frescoes and religious scroll paintings throughout the Buddhist world of Nepal, Ladakh, Sikkim and Tibet. Whilst most festivals of Bhutan may not be quick to follow for the inexperienced viewer, the multi-colored dress and masks of the performers and the typical festive atmosphere of the plain folk from the countryside holds you engaged. Dromchoe has an appealing story to tell as it relates a tale from some three hundred years ago when Bhutan was invaded by Tibetan army and the Bhutanese effectively defended themselves. In the Dromchoe / Drubchen festival story the festival climax shows the energy of the Bhutanese soldiers who smitten with war enthusiasm ride out symbolically into combat from the festival stage of the dzong to overcome the invading Tibetan soldiers. Brandishing swords, the ancient Bhutanese troops in red apparel rush out of the dzong, and with the noisy blasts of firecrackers, the soldiers proceed into battle.
The second festival is the Punakha Tshechu. As all Tshechu festivals, the festival is staged in the honor of Padma Sambhawa, commonly known as Guru Rimpoche, the Indian Buddhist saint who is acknowledged with having unveiled Tantric Buddhism throughout the greater Himalayas. The festival’s masked dances are carried out by monks clothed in colorful brocade clothes and permeated by chants and reading of Buddhist prayers. The tail end of festival comprises the unfolding of a large cloth thanka, a holy scroll, showing Padma Smabhawa and images from Buddhist pantheon.
From the perspective of relative close proximity to Paro and Thimphu, scenic location at the backdrop of the Himalayas and staged in architecturally one of Bhutan’s most impressive buildings, Punakha festivals should not be overlooked!
About the Author
Visiting Punaka festival is a rewarding choice to much visited festivals by tourists of Paro and Thimphu. Next Punakha Dromchoe takes place February 27 – March 2, 2012 and Punakha Tshechu March 3 – 5, 2012.
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