Thimphu Tshechu

Thimphu Tshechu is the capital’s festival and one of the biggest in the country. It is held over three days at Tashichho Dzong, beginning on the tenth day of the eighth month of the Bhutanese calendar, which falls in September or October. The dances are performed at Tendrel Thang, the open festival ground beside the dzong.

People come from every district for it. Offices close, families dress in their best silk and brocade, and the steps around the festival ground fill from early morning. For many Bhutanese it is a religious duty as much as a holiday: the dances are blessings, and to watch them is to gain merit.

What you will see

The programme is made up of cham, sacred masked dances performed by monks and by lay dancers. Among them are the Dance of the Four Stags, the Black Hat dance, performed to the beat of drums, and the story of the stag and the hounds, in which a hunter is turned from killing by a saint. Between the dances come folk songs, and the atsaras, the masked clowns, tease the crowd.

The Drubchen

A few days before the Tshechu the dzong holds the Thimphu Drubchen, a day of dances dedicated to Palden Lhamo, the protecting deity of Bhutan. It is a smaller occasion and less crowded, and worth seeing if your dates allow. In 2027 it is listed for 5 October.

Where it comes from

Tradition dates the Thimphu Tshechu to 1670 and links it with Tenzin Rabgye, who later ruled Bhutan as its fourth Desi.

Practical notes

• Dress as for a formal occasion: long sleeves, long trousers or a skirt, and no hat inside the dzong.
• Arrive early. The best places are taken by mid-morning.
• Bring water, sun protection and a cushion. The steps are stone.
• Do not step into the dance ground, and ask before photographing people at close range.
• Autumn is the busiest season in Bhutan, so flights and hotels need booking well ahead.