 Religious
festivals are perfect occasions to glimpse what might be termed
Bhutanese culture. Celebrated throughout the country, they occur
in a host of differing forms, depending upon the scale, the
nature of the ceremonies performed or the particular deity being
revered. The best known are the Tshechus, festivals which honor
Guru Rinpoche and celebrate one of his remarkable actions, and
the most popular of these take place annually in or around the
great dzongs, attracting both tourists and large numbers from
the surrounding districts. Lasting several days, the central
focuses are the series of prayers and religion inspired dances.
These dances, made especially striking by the spectacular costumes
of the dancers - bright silks and rich brocade, ornate hats
or extraordinary masks - may either depict morality tales, invoke
protection from demonic spirits or proclaim Buddhist victories
and the glory of remarkable saints.
And then there are the atsaras - clowns sporting fiendish
masks, making lewd gestures and cracking salacious jokes -
who mingle on the periphery of the performance, are entitled
to mock both spiritual and temporal subjects, and through
their distractions infuse a lighter side to otherwise serious
matters. The whole gathering begins to resemble a country
fair, as the jolly and convivial assembly - many turning out
in their vibrant finery - further entertains itself in lively
conversation, the playing of an assortment of games and the
imbibing of copious amounts of food and alcohol. Tshechus
may end with the bestowing of powerful blessings, delivered
orally by a high lama or visually with the unfurling of a
huge appliqué thangka representing Guru Rinpoche and
his Eight Manifestations. The commanding backdrop of a monastic
fortress, the visual extravagance of the dances, the cacophony
of musical accompaniments, the solemnity of chanting mantras,
the artistic splendor, the unfamiliar smells and the overall
exuberance of the diverse crowd lend the scene an extremely
exotic air.
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