Festivals

FESTIVALS IN BHUTAN:

1. Paro Tschechu

The Paro Tshechu is a massive festival and by far the biggest spring time event in Bhutan. Like Thimphu, thousands of people gather in the city to socialise and dance.Monks and Layman dress up in dazzling brocade costumes and re-enact famous legends in Buddhism Bhutan.

Visitors will love the vibrant feel of the festival, not to mention the incredibly intricate face masks that many people wear.

2. Mountain Echoes

The Mountain Echoes festival is presented by Jaypee Group, an initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation, and is held in Thimphu, Bhutan. The festivals enjoys the patronage of Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck.

The festival is a melting pot of thoughts and ideas, celebrating a wide range of artistic mediums: literature, visual arts, photography, theatre, film, music, and dance.It is a platform for cultural and social exchange on topics that are current and globally relevant, with speakers from the United States of America, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Bangladesh and Nepal, apart from India and Bhutan.

3 . Haa Summer Festival

Not only is the Haa Summer Festival one of the most spectacular festivals, it is also set within one of the most spectacular settings! Gorgeous lakes and lush valleys are the backdrop to this fantastic festival.

The festival is slightly different in that it celebrates the nomadic and traditional-living lifestyles of the Bhutanese.The festival is perfect for visitors who want to get a better understanding of this old-world culture and history. Join in the festivities yourself and take a drink or two and get singing!

4. The Punakha Tschechu And Drubchen

The Punakha Drubchen is a fascinating Tshechu as it celebrates the famous victory by Bhutan when the armies managed to supress the invading Tibetan forces in the 17^th century.

Local military and village volunteers re-enact the battles in glorious costumes of bright colours. The festival is held directly after Drubchen and offers a dazzling array of masked dances for visitors to enjoy.The Tshechu is also held within one of the most beautiful Dzongs in the country – Punakha Dzong.

5. Black-Necked Crane Festival

This is the festival for nature lovers! The Black-necked Crane festival is an annual event held to celebrate the arrival of the endangered black-necked cranes to the Phobjikha Valley.

The birds arrive in the valley each winter from their northern summer grounds and the festival honours their arrival with a series of crane-themed dances and songs.

Throughout the festival locals are made more aware of the cranes struggle for survival and local conservation spirit is renewed.