07/04/2023
"Annual Paro Tshechu", witnessed by thousands of devotes.
TSHECHU:
Tshechu literally means the "tenth day", is an annual religious Bhutanese festivals held in each district of Bhutan on the tenth day of the month on the lunar calendar to commomerate the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpochhe. Tshechus are religious festivals of the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Buddhism.Guru Rinpochhe, the great scholar, visited Tibet and Bhutan in the 8th 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. Guru Rinpochhe 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. Guru Rinpochhe organized the first tshechu in Bumthang, where the eight manifestations of Guru Padmasambhava was presented through cham(mask dance). These became the Cham dances depicting the glory of Guru Padmasambhava.
