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EE00002599
Tamzhing Phagla Chodpa: Annual Festival of Tamzhing Lhundrub Choeling Lhakhang
Local tradition maintains that Pema Lingpa was looking around Choekhor valley to find a suitable site for his temple when he saw a wild boar digging in the soil. He realized that it was a sign from the enlightened being Dorje Phagmo (deity Vajravarahi) meant to show him the appropriate site. Once the temple was built, during its consecration he instituted a festival dedicated to the guardian deities as a symbol of gratitude. Since the prophecy as well as the ground breaking for Tamzhing temple is believed to have been guided by Dorje Phagmo, the festival is dedicated to her and named Phagla Chodpa. Sherab Wangdi remembers that before the Lhalung Dratshang community arrived at Tamzhing, there were two different grand festivals at the temple, a drub held in the seventh lunar month and Phagla Chodpa in the eighth lunar month. The monthly rituals, the drub, and the mask dances were organized and performed by the Tamzhing drapa (Lay-monks), while the Phagla Chodpa had been coordinated by the late Lama Phuntsho, who traveled from Trongsa Samchoeling. Before Lama Phuntsho would arrive, the Tamzhing threlpa would construct a temporary residence above the temple. Each morning during the Phagla Chodpa, the mask dancers (champa) and female dancers (maniwa) received the lama in a chibdrel procession that moved toward the temple. Oral tradition maintains that ever since the Tamzhing Phagla Chodpa was founded, the mask dances have been performed by the Tamzhing drapas, while the threlpas have sponsored all the food and drinks from the rehearsal day until the last day of the festival. Initially, the Phagla Chodpa lasted only two days, excluding the mewang and chamjug. After Lama Phuntsho passed away, the Phagla Chodpa was not performed for nearly seven years (from 1972–1978) due to misunderstandings between the Tamzhing Choeje and the drapas. The drapas settled in other villages for a number of years. Apparently, after some time they came to decide that the festival is an important ancestral tradition to offer gratitude to the local deities. Thus, the drapas approached the late Lyonpo Tamzhing Jagar—then the Minister of Home and Culture—and made a collective pledge to revive the Phagla Chodpa. The minister appreciated their volunteerism and provided new costumes and some masks for the dances. Performances resumed in 1979, this time incorporating some mask dances performed by the Lhalung monastic community. The addition of Lhalung’s mask dances had the effect of extending the two-day-long festival to three days. Tradition maintains that Tamzhing Choeje has been coordinating Phagla Chodpa and sponsoring one meal during the first day of the festival, while the Tamzhing drapa shouldered responsibility of contributing mask dances, folk dances, and a collectively sponsored meal for the duration of the festival. If the tradition is correct, there has not been a significant change in organizing the Chodpa. In the recent past, at the urging of Sherab Wangdi, local residents made a collective agreement that every household would participate in and contribute to the Phagla Chodpa festival – irrespective of their status as drapa, zurpa or threlpa. Every household has to contribute a man capable of performing mask dances; if a suitable man wasn’t available, a woman has to join as either a maniwa(folk dancer), or as a drangzhapa or dronchongpa (receive guests and serve tea and drink). If there is no one available to volunteer, then that particular household has to be the tsawa (sponsor) for a specific day of the festival. A tshogpa, or village representative, is appointed to ensure the festival runs smoothly. The Chiwog Tshogpa acts as the chairperson while each village provides a reliable person to act as a representative for his/her respective community. Above all, Sherab Wangdi acts on behalf of Tamzhing Choeje in the role of president and oversees all activities related to the festival. On the ninth day of the eighth month which is the chamjug day, the drapa of Tamzhing village acts as the tsawa for the entire day, sponsoring everything from the early morning zheythug (porridge) until the group dinner. The responsibility then rotates: on the inaugural day (tsukton), Tamzhing Choeje is the sponsor, Kharsum and Konchogsum sponsor on the second day (barton), Tekarzhong sponsors on the concluding day (droeton), and on the thruesol day, Rerebi village is responsible. There are additional preparations to be completed before the chamjug. Each household has to send one person to help clean and prepare for the mewang. While the preparation in the shrine is done a day before the chamjug day, the final decoration and cleaning of the surrounding takes place on the thruesol day after lunch is served. a. Day One (9th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Chamjug and Mewang In the morning of the ninth day of the eighth lunar month, the mask dance performers gather at the temple courtyard with their belongings, including a mattress, pillow, blankets, plates and a mug. It is a customary that during the Chodpa both female dancers and mask dancers spend the night away from their families, sleeping instead in designated parts of the temple to maintain purity. After distributing the masks, garments, and necessary implements to the respective mask dancers, the group goes to the ground below the Konchogsum Lhakhang to prepare for the mewang, or Fire Blessing. A gate is made from fresh pine tree limbs and bunches of fresh juniper branches, and dried wood and bamboo is piled on both sides. Old bamboo baskets and mats are hung on the limbs to help spread the fire. Mantras and scriptures dedicated to the fire god are also inserted into the structure as they are believed to drive away any unseen evil spirits. The chamjug and Mewang programme ends with that last bey performance, which can take place as late as midnight. According to local oral tradition, the officiants used to visit every household in the villages after the Mewang. Since that was an exhausting event for the lama, gingpa, patselpas and monks, for the last five years they have conducted a performance in the ground instead so as not to exhaust the ritual specialists and dancers by keeping residents up all night, and lastly, to allow for devotees from outside Tamzhing to participate in the Fire Blessing. b. Day Two (10th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Tsukton (Initial day) The mask dances for the tsukton or the 10th day of the eighth lunar month are presented in the following order: - Gadpoi Gor Cham (Mask Dance of the Old Man and Senior Atsara), performed by laymen; - Lang Cham (Mask Dance of the two Oxen), performed by monks; - Phag Cham (Maks Dance of the Hog), performed by laymen; - Ju Ging Cham (Stick Dance), performed by monks; - Dri Ging Cham (Sword Dance), performed by monks; - Peling Nga Cham (Drum Dance), performed by laymen; - Guru Tshengyed Cham (Dance of Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche), performed by monks; - Zhana Nga Cham (Black Hat Dance), performed by laymen. c. Day Three (11th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Barton On the 11th day of the eighth lunar month, the mask dance programme takes place as follows: - Gadpoi Gor Cham (Mask Dance of the Old Man and Senior Atsara), performed by laymen; - Shazam Cham (Dance of Two Stags), performed by monks; - Shazam Cham (Dance of Four Stags), performed by laymen; - Yoeluema or Zhauli (Dance of the Evil Spirit), performed by laymen; - Ju Ging Cham (Stick Dance), performed bby laymen; - Dri Ging Cham (Sword Dance), performed by laymen; - Peling Nga Cham (Drum Dance), performed by monks; - Zhana Phur Cham (Vajrakila Black Hat Dance), performed by laymen; - Durdhag Cham (Dance of the Charnel Grounds), performed by laymen; - Shinje Cham (Mask Dance of Yama) performed by monks; - Tshangpai Ging Cham (Peling Tshangpai Ging), performed by laymen. d. Day Four (12th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Droeton On the 12th day of the eighth lunar month, the mask dances are conducted as follows: - Gadpo Gorcham (Dance of the Old man and Senior Atsara), perforemd by laymen; - Throzam Cham, performed by monks; - Shinje (Dance of Yama), performed by laymen; - Durdhag (Dance of the Charnel Grounds), performed by monks; - Tangra Serkyem (Black Hat Dance Offering Serkyem to the Deities), performed by monks; - Sangye Lingpai Nga Cham (Drum Dance of Terton Sangye Lingpa), performed by laymen; - Chendren Ngama (Reception Dance), performed by monks; - Nodjin Tseumar (Processiona and Blessings from the Guardian Deity Teumar), conducted by monks; - Tenwang (Procession and Blessings) from the Buddha Amitayus image crafted by Pema Lingpa; - Pholey Moley (Dance of the Handsome Men and Charming Ladies), performed by laymen. e. Thruesol (13th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Informal Gathering On the 13th day of the eighth lunar month, the mask dances take place as follows: - Lhabsang and cleanup (Cleansing ritual) - Thruesol (spiritual sprinkling of water)
Bhutan -
EE00002598
Thangbi Mewang: Fire Blessing Festival of Thangbi
The Mewang, or Fire Blessing, is believed to ward off diseases and other negative forces. Thangbi Mewang takes place on the first day of the four-day long festival, which is known as Thangbi Mani. ‘Thangbi Mani’ references the temple’s original consecration ceremony which was conducted in part by reciting the mani mantra. The festival is also occasionally referred to as Thangbi Drub, as some maintain the events mark the temple’s consecration ceremony. The origins of Thangbi Mewang are unknown, and no definitive records survive. Some attribute it to the 4th Zhamar Choedrak Yeshe whereas others trace it to the 8th Zhamarpa Pelchen Choekyi Dondrub. Whichever master it was, the liturgical practices and types of mask dances performed are closely related to those performed at Tshurphu in Tibet. Festival preparations begin from the 3rd day of the eighth lunar month, when mask dancers gather in the lhakhang around 3 p.m. to offer serkyem (wine libation) in the gonkhang (scared shrine of dieties). After chak dang hu (shouting Tae hu hu) the leftover wine is served to the mask dancers, who begin practicing the dances for two hours daily between 3–5 p.m. Preliminary dance practices are held for two weeks before the final rehearsal or chamjug is held on the afternoon of the 13th day. The chamjug is not a full-dress rehearsal and does not include costumes or hand implements with the exception of the Nga Cham (Drum Dance) rehearsal, which uses the drum and drumsticks. Previously, the drapas (servants) of Tamzhing Choeje performed the mask dances, though of late this role has transitioned to the five drapa households living around Thangbi village. Amongst the three villages, the mask dances have been performed only by male members from Thangbi village because they are the drapas of Karmapa, whereas the threlpa or the tax-paying households of Goleng and Kharsath act as the sponsors of the mask dance performances. a. Day One (14th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): The 14th day of the eighth lunar month marks the first day of the festival. The main mask dance performance starts after a dinner break, the champas and monks return to the gonkhang to offer serkyem. After this, the costumed dancers carry the masks downstairs to the chamkhang (dance preparation hall). The evening’s programme is performed in the following sequential order: - Drelcham (Dance of Suppression); - Yoeluema or Zhauli (Dance of Malevolent Spirits); - Gonpo Bercham (Dance of Protective Deity Gonpo Bernag); - Jinsek (Fire Offering); - Shazam Dance (Dance of the Stag); - Gektre (Ritual to Expelling Evil); b. Day Two (15th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Mewang, the Fire Blessing The second day, the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, begins with the champon and champas singing a song called “Gya yul ley thon pai dardzoe dang ney-nga”. While the lama and gomchens (lay monk) perform lhabsang (cleansing ritual) in the gonkhang, the gondhar (Maha kala's flag) is once again erected in the courtyard. After lhabsang, ritual prayers dedicated to Gonpo Bernag are performed and concludes in the late morning. The remainder of the day’s programme is held as follows: - Mewang (Fire Blessing); - Zhana Cham (Black Hat Dance); - Tshog Cham (Feast Offering Dance); - Yoeluema; - Gonpo Bercham; - Nga Cham (Drum Dance); - Pholey Moley; - Atsara Dance ; - Shawa gang ley Phabpa, the episode of chasing the stag down the mountain). c. Day Three (16th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Tenwang (Blessing form the sacred objects) The same song is sung to mark the start of the 16th day of the eighth lunar month, followed by the ritual prayers. A tshechu is then performed in the Jowo Lhakhang. All participants gather in the lhakhang at around 6 a.m. during tshegug (ritual of longevity). After ritual prayers conclude around 8:30 a.m., the day’s events continue as follows: - Shazam (Dance of the Stags); - Dri Cham (Sword Dance); - Shawa Shakhyi (the episode of driving the stag out of low-lying jungle)14; - Jachung Jichung gi cham; - Atsara’s Choga (ritual performance by Atsaras); - Tenwang (Blessing of sacred objectd) - Khandromai Cham (dance of dakinis) d. Day Four (17th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Thruesol and Landab On the last day of the festival, before the thruesol (cleansing ritual), the lama and gomchens once again perform the lhabsang ritual in the lhakhang. After breakfast, thruesol is performed in all the households of Thangbi village. The procession is led by clarinet players and singers performing the lebey song, followed by the lama, champas, patselpas (traditioanl arm forces), and folk dancers. After thruesol is completed, the champas, patselpas, folk dancers and tsawas (sponsors) see off the lama and they escort him to his residence at Shugdrak Gonpa (monastery). After returning to Thangbi Temple, the new kudrung (discipline master) is appointed and the former kudrung is retired. Both the new and old kudrungs are offered khadars (scarfs) by the villagers. This remainder of the morning is filled with dances, singing, and drinking until Thangbi Mewang festival formally concludes with a luncheon.
Bhutan -
EE00002597
Tercham: The Naked Dance
It is said that besides the naked dance performed during Jampa Lhakhang Drub, there are also naked dances performed during Nabji Drub in Trongsa and Sakteng Tercham, Trashigang and in Dagana. The naked dance is honorifically referred to as a “tercham” a term usually applied to dances revealed as treasure. Just as any sacred ter (treasure or precious object) is not exposed freely to the public so also our nakedness is never exposed publicly. So the dance performed naked and exposing the genitals is exceptional and hence considered tercham or the “revealed treasure dance”. According to the book Invoking Happiness, the dance has its origins during the construction of Jampa Lhakhang, when local spirits disrupted the process45. The story recounts that King Songtsen Gampo manifested himself in the form of several people dancing naked, which fascinated the troublesome spirits. As they remained preoccupied by the dancers, the temple construction was completed and consecrated. According to Chagkhar Lama Dorje, Dorje Lingpa introduced the dance at Nabji, Trongsa. One oral account maintains that when Dorje Lingpa was constructing Nabji Lhakhang, local spirits were disrupting the process every night. In order to distract the spirits, Dorje Lingpa used his miraculous power to summon naked people from the Treasure Cliff located opposite of Nabji Lhakhang. He made them dance, and antics kept the spirits spellbound enough so that Dorje Lingpa was able to complete the temple and consecrate it. Thus, according to this account, the tercham was first performed at Nabji under the supervision of Dorje Lingpa. When Dorje Lingpa later renovated Jampa Lhakhang, the dance was performed during the initial consecration ceremony and is said to have been enacted every year since. At Jampa Lhakhang Drub, tercham is performed each of the first three nights. The performers are chosen from the five villages of Drub Tsawa: Chagkhar, Jampa Lhakhang, Changwang, Nasphey and Nobgang. After the normal mask dance performances are concluded, a crowd gathers around midnight at the performance ground in the outer courtyard of the western side of Jampa Lhakhang. Shortly after midnight, a group of ten men emerge from the chamkhang (room for dance preparations) and dance to the rhythmic beating of traditional mask dance drums and cymbals. The men are all naked except for their faces, which are covered by a white cloth to conceal their identities. The last man, who is the dance master, wears shorts. The group dances around a bonfire located in the middle of the performance ground, sometimes acting outrageously towards the spectators. The dance lasts for an hour despite the cold, which drops to around one to two degrees Celsius. Photos or any type of recording is strictly prohibited, as is the use of torches. Policemen and village locals guard the integrity of the performance, and deal harshly with anyone who attempts to break the stringent rules. Chagkhar Lama Dorje describes the dance as most sacred and says that spectators should not look at the dancer’s genitals as just male organs. As the male genitals are never exposed publicly, it is one of the world’s precious ter. All sentient beings are brought into the world, in part, by this organ. Local elders explain that though the younger generation may find the dance funny, it was started by the great saint Dorje Lingpa, and therefore one should view events with devotion rather than as entertainment. In the recent past, the dance was banned by the Dzongkhag Administration, who deemed it vulgar and embarrassing. Once banned, there was abnormally heavy rainfall and hail, and the Drub could not be properly conducted. Local astrologers attributed downpours and bad weather to the tercham ban. The local people conducted kangsol rituals to repair the relationship with the protective deities and the Dzongkhag Administration lifted the ban the following year.
Bhutan -
EE00002596
Jampa Lhakhang Drub: Commemorating the Consecration of Jampa Lhakhang
Though Jampa Lhakhang is believed to have been established in the 7th century, there is no evidence regarding what rituals may have been held there in its early centuries. Oral tradition traces the present Jampa Lhakhang Drub directly to Dorje Lingpa. As previously mentioned, after arriving in Bumthang, Dorje Lingpa executed the renovation of the temple probably in between 1374–7627. At its conclusion, he conducted a grand Drub dedicated to Guru Drakpo and Lam Kadu Cycle in order to ward off evil forces that might impact the temple and the Buddhist teachings propagated within, thereby sanctifying the newly renovated temple. In particular, oral tradition has it that Dorje Lingpa was said to have performed sibnon (subjugation of the si spirit) under the entry staircase of Jampa Lhakhang to ward off thirty evils that were obstructing Buddhism in the Choekhor valley and beyond. It is believed that the Drub ceremony has been conducted annually ever since during the ninth lunar month. The masked dance performances commemorate the introduction of Dorje Lingpa’s Drub and re-invigorate the spiritual power of the site. Though it takes place in the ninth month, the days were variable and would be fixed depending on what was convenient for the tsawas (sponsors). Chagkhar Lam Dorje claims that the present dates have been fixed only in the last sixty years. Some elements take place prior to the beginning of the fifteenth day, including the exorcism rituals, comprised of jinsek (fire offering), mewang (fire blessing), and sibnon (subjugation of evil spirit). a. Preparations: The Chagkhar Lama and one member from each tsawa household join the committee members for a meeting during which they decide the timetable for festival preparations. On the 29th day of the seventh lunar month, the torgyab ritual is performed at Chagkhar Lhakhang, following which the dancers can begin to practice the cham that will be performed at the festival. Usually, cham practice begins from the next day of the torgyab, that is on the 30th day of the seventh lunar month after offering serkyem to the protective deities of Chagkhar Lhakhang. But if that day is deemed to be inauspicious, astrology is consulted to determine an appropriate date. From the designated day forward, the cham practice takes place every evening at Chagkhar Lhakhang. Similarly, folk dancers chosen from the villages begin practicing on an auspicious day. On the 13th day of the eighth lunar month, a member of each household gathers at Jampa Lhakhang to clean the venue, including in and around the temple and the kitchen. The preparation of ritual cakes, called torzheng, takes place on the 14th day. b. Day One (15th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Chamjug (final rehearsal) At mid-morning on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the presiding lama, monks and all the tsawa members gather at Chagkhar lhakhang, the private temple of Chagkhar Lama family. After offering prayers and serkyem in the temple, they begin a chibdrel procession to guide the sacred religious objects enshrined in the temple37 to Jampa Lhakhang. Once they pass the outer gate of Chagkhar Lhakhang, the procession stops to offer marchang on the lawn by the roadside, after which they move towards Jampa Lhakhang. People line the route to receive blessings from the sacred objects. At the outer gate of Jampa Lhakhang the procession is received by all the members of Drub Tsawa who receive blessings from the sacred objects and offer marchang. They enter the inner courtyard where the procession is received by the Jampa Lhakhang Lama and/or dzongpon and again offered marching before they move inside the Jampa Lhakhang. All the sacred objects are placed inside the inner sanctum of the Jowokhang, everyone makes prostrations to them, and then take part in the zhugdrel ceremony before being served tea. After a break, the programme resumes with the lama presiding over ritual prayers in the Jowokhang. The tsawa members and dancers gather to make thodam (boundary-sealing) prayers for the success of the Drub. After ritual prayers, the lama addresses the dancers and organizers about the importance of the Drub and its continuity to bring good health and prosperity for the community, Bumthang valley and the country at large. He also instructs all participants taking part in the drub to bear their roles and responsibilities without failure. In mid-afternoon, the lama presides over the monks as they perform ritual prayers at each choeten and place a boundary post at each one. The thodam ritual is followed by sibnon, which is conducted in order to maintain continuity with what the locals believe Dorje Lingpa did during the first drub. In sibnon the si spirit are buried in a triangular box underneath a stone slab in front of the inner entrance to the passageway, while a ritual dedicated to Guru Drakpo is performed. After sibnon, jinsek ritual begins at the performance ground. First, the Atsara Gep and the atsaras arrive and explain how and why Lhawang Jajin (Indra) arrived on earth from heaven; meanwhile organizers prepare the fire for jinsek in the middle of the ground. Performances are conducted in the following order: - Zhana Cham, the Black Hat Dance, for jinsek; - Tre Ging Dance, four dancers with wrathful masks hold sticks at each corner of the jinsek fire pit while the Zhana Dance is performed; - Tshog Cham, the Feast Offering Dance; - Mecham, the Fire Dance, by the two Tre Ging dancers around the fire pit (after mecham they proceed to mewang ground carrying a mecha (torch) along with lama, monks and crowds of people. Coming back from mewang, marchang offering and beshed are performed at the performance ground by the patselpas). - Yoeluema (locally called Zhauli), the Malevolent Spirit Dance; - Ju Ging Cham, the Stick Dance of Dorling tradition; - Durdhag Cham, the Dance of the Cremation Ground; - Dri Ging Cham, the Sword Dance of Dorling tradition; - Nga Ging Cham, the Drum Dance of Dorling tradition. The evening programme ends around midnight, and slightly after, the Naked Dance called Tercham begins. c. Day Two (16th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Tsukton (Initial ceremony) On the 16th day of the eighth lunar month, the tsukton day, the programme is as follows: - Atsara Gep consecrates the ground and welcomes the audience; - Shinje Yab-yum, the Dance of Yamantaka Father and Mother; - Yoeluema, the Malevolent Spirit Dance; - Ju Ging Cham, the Stick Dance of Dorling tradition; - Dri Ging Cham, the Sword Dance of Dorling tradition; - Nga Ging Cham, the Drum Dance of Dorling tradition. Lunch break - Zhana Nga Cham, the Black Hat Drum Dance; - Pacham, the Dance of the Heroes according to Dorling tradition; - Jachung Boechung, the legend of the bird and the boy. The evening programme ends around 5 p.m., and the Naked Dance begins after midnight. d. Day Three (17th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Barton (Actual event) The third day, or barton, takes place on the 17th day of the eighth lunar month. The programme is as follows: - Dralha Pangtoe, when the Atsara Gep leads the atsaras in propitiating local tsen and deities; - Shazam Cham, the Stag Dance; - Zhana Phur Cham, the Black Hat with Dagger Dance. This dance is suspended part way through so that the Durdhag Cham can take place, then the Atsara Gep offers marchang while the Zhana dance is stopped. Then the female folk dancers line up holding the marchang pot. After the marchang is offered, Zhana dance finally concludes. - Ging and Tsholing, the Dance of the Ging and Tsholing. The Tsholing dance first, followed by the Ging, and they enact a dance of the sacred war between the gods and the demons. Lunch Break - Dramitse Nga Cham, the Drum Dance of Dramitse, performed by ten dancers; - Pholey Moley, the Dance of Noble Men and Charming Ladies; - Torgyab, the torma exorcism, is prepared in the Jokhang. The evening programme ends around 7:30 p.m., and the Naked Dance begins after midnight. e. Day Four (18th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Droeton (Concluding day) On day four, the 18th day of the eighth lunar month, the programme is as follows: - The Jowo Jampa Thongdrol is displayed between 8:30 to 10 a.m.41 on the northern side of Jampa Lhakhang. During the display, Zhengzhi Pemi Cham, a dance based on Guru’s soldeb, Pa Cham, and singing take place; - Chung Cham, a Garuda Dance performed by four dancers; - Dri Cham, the Sword Dance; - Nga Cham, the Drum Dance; - Tenwang, receiving blessings from the relics42 starts for the public in the Jowokhang. - Raksha Go Cham, Ox-headed Dance introduced by Terton Karma Lingpa in the 14th century; - Raksha Mang Cham, Intermediary Dance introduced by Terton Karma Lingpa in the 14th century; - Raksha Jug Cham, the Concluding Dance of Raksha Go Cham; - Community members offer dhar (scarf) to the champon. The evening programme ends around 6 p.m. f. Day Five (19th Day of the Eighth Lunar Month): Trashi Monlam (Auspicious prayers) The programme for the 19th day of the eighth lunar month is as follows: - Tangra, Thanksgiving prayers offered to the Gonpo Degyed and his retinues; - Removal of boundary posts and offering of serkyem; - Atsara Gep offers farewell prayers at the performance ground and retires to dressing room, signifying the closure of the Jampa Lhakhang Drub; - At the same time, a new champon is appointed by offering dhar; - In the late afternoon, the sacred objects are carried in a procession back to Chagkhar Lhakhang and installed in the shrine until the next Jampa Lhakhang Drub.
Bhutan -
EE00002595
Jakar Tshechu: Annual Festival of Jakar Dzong
Jakar Tshechu is a recent introduction, as noted above. It was established in 1994 on the 4th day of the sixth lunar month through the initiative of Dzongdag Dasho Pema Dorje and Thrimpon Dasho Sangay Rinzin. In the beginning, the mask dances were performed by Trongsa Rabdey as the dzong had no permanent monks. The duration of the tshechu was initially only one day long. Later, during the time of Dzongdag Nyima Tshering, it was extended to four days, running through the 8th to 11th days of the ninth lunar month. Given their prominence and importance, usually the annual district tshechu are sponsored and coordinated by the respective District administrations. Similarly, Jakar Tshechu is organized by the Bumthang District Administration in collaboration with the Jakar Rabdey. While at many festivals the local residents provide contributions, at Jakar Tshechu all the expenses are borne by the District Administration rather than by the locals. As the sponsor, the District Administration documents all expenditures for the duration of the tshechu, which includes meals for all participants, mask dancers and folk dancers, as well as their wages. Preparations for the festival are intense and involve significant manpower, financial resources and planning. Preparations begin well in advance, with the lam and dratshang overseeing the preparations for rituals and practice sessions for the mask dances. The dzongkhag takes on administrative responsibilities and plans the budget. A week before the festival, the dzongkhag staff prepare the performance area in the dzong courtyard. The district administration selects around thirty-two mask dancers, between ages of eighteen and forty-two, from the four gewogs. In addition, a troupe of approximately eleven folk dancers is chosen from each gewog to perform in between the mask dances. The troupes rotate each year, with each group performing every four years. The folk dancers and the mask dancers begin practicing about a month before the tshechu. On the 7th day of the ninth lunar month, dancers hold a rehearsal session, which is called chamjug. These rehearsals are held in the courtyard of the dzong where the festival takes place and include the use of musical instruments, such as trumpets and clarinets. The practice continues for much of the day, from around 8:30 a.m. until around 3 p.m. The two chief mask dancers, one from the monastic community and the other from the District Administration, oversee the practice to ensure that everything is perfect. During rehearsal, the dancers don’t wear the costumes or masks and only the main mask dances are rehearsed. a. Day One: (8th Day of the Ninth Lunar Month): The main event begins on the 8th day of the ninth lunar month, when the monks get up around 1:30 a.m. to perform the Lama Gongdue ritual. Before dawn, the ritual pauses at tshog lhagma for breakfast and preparation for the mask dance performances. Around 8 a.m., the dzongkhag staff gathers at the dzong to receive dzongda and drangpon and then they all wait to receive lam. Then the lam accompanied by Dzongkhag Administration officials including dzongdag and drangpon, move in a chibdrel procession to the zigrekhang (spectators’ pavilion) to witness tshechu proceedings. The mask dance performances begin by 8:30 a.m. In 2015, the mask dances were performed in the following order: - Shinje Yab-yum Cham (Yamantaka Father and Mother Dance); - Yoeluema Cham (Dance of the Malevolent Spirit); - Peling Ging Sum (Dance of the Three Gings): Ju Ging Cham (Stick Dance), Dri Ging Cham (Sword Dance) and Nga Ging Cham (Drum Dance); - Kel Cham (Farewell Dance); - Pholey Moley (Dance of the Noblemen and the Charming Ladies); - Shawo Gangley Phap (the first episode of chasing the stag down the mountain). At the conclusion of the mask dances, the lam and the monks resume the feast offering ritual in the lhakhang from where they left off in morning. b. Day Two: (9th Day of the Ninth Lunar Month): The morning’s programme on the 9th day of the ninth lunar month is same as the day prior. The ritual pauses at tshog lhagma for breakfast, and then the day’s mask dances begin around 8:30 a.m. as follows: - Zhana Cham (Black Hat Dance); - Zhana Nga Cham (Black Hat Drum Dance); - Dramitse Nga Cham (Dance of the Drums from Dramitse); - Durdhag Cham (Dance of the Lords of Cremation Grounds); - Ging Tsholing Cham (dance of the wrathful deities and the ging); - Shawa Shakhyi Thaley Tonpa (the second episode driving the stag out of low-lying jungles). As on the previous day, after mask dances, the monks and the lam resume conducting the ritual prayers in the lhakhang, starting from the tshog lhagma intermission and conclude the day’s programme. c. Day Three: (10th Day of the Ninth Lunar Month): The morning programme is same as days one and two. The ritual pauses at tshog lhagma for breakfast before the day’s mask dances begin. The day focuses on the judgment of the dead and depicts the consequences of karma on the afterlife, and people receive blessings from the Lord of Death. The mask dances are performed as follows: - Durdhag Cham (Dance of the Lords of Cremation Grounds); - Tum-ngam Cham (Dance of the Terrifying Deities); - Shazam Cham (dance of the four stags); - Raksha Go Cham (Ox-headed Dance); - Raksha Mang Cham (Intermediate State Dance). As on the previous days, the Lam Neten and monks resume the ritual prayers from the tshog lhagma to conclude the day’s events. d. Day Four: (11th Day of the Ninth Lunar Month): Thongdrol (giant tapestry) and Tenwang (blessing by sacred relics): The 11th day of the ninth lunar month is the last day of the tshechu, during which the thongdrol is unfurled and artefacts are displayed to the public, an act called tenwang. People gather in the dzong as early as 3 a.m. The main statue displayed for public blessing is a small statue of Yidam Thongwa Kundrol that Terton Pema Lingpa is said to have withdrawn from Mebartsho (the Burning Lake). The thongdrol was made in 2005 and shows Guru Tshengyed, the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche. In front of the hanging thongdrol, mask dances – specifically Pacham, Dram-nyen Choeje, and Zhengzhi Pemi Cham – are performed to pay homage to Guru Rinpoche. The day’s mask dance programme is presented in following order: - Unfurling of Guru Tshengyed Thongdrol; - Zhengzhi Pemi Cham (Dance offering with recitation of prayers to Guru Rinpoche); - Bekor Cham (Ceremonial Dance of the Monks); - Pa Cham (Dance of Heroes); - Guru Tshengyed Cham (Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche); - Rigma Chudrug (Dance of the Sixteen Wisdom Consorts); - Acho dang Phento (the story of the conversion of the hunter); - Atsara gi Lochoe (Atsara’s ritual) to mark the conclusion of tshechu. As on prior days, the events finish with the feast offering ritual in the lhakhang, though with additional rituals particular to the last day. Specifically, a torshag (cascading the ritualcakes) ritual followed by ngoedrub langwang (receive blessings) and trashi monlam (auspicious prayers), during which all participants gather and to offer collective dedications and auspicious prayers.
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Dozo: Stone work
Like in many other countries, dozo (masonry or stonework) is an old craft that is still in practice throughout the country. The skills of Bhutanese masonry can be seen in fortresses, temples, monasteries, stupas and farmhouses. It required special skills to cut and polish stones into right shapes and sizes and was carried out under the strict supervision of the head carpenter, who also had the role of an architect. Stone masons use an axe like tool called dota. Stones of crude shapes and sizes are chiselled into right shapes according to the style of the structure. There are mainly five different types of stone shapes that the masons prepare for construction. They are jamdo- used as the foundation stones, zurdo (corner stone) used as the corners walls, tshigdo (flat stones) that are used in the middle, dotru (pebbles) used in between the two chiseled stones and dochal (flat stones) layed in the courtyards of the dzong and temples. A skilled mason would first lay the zurdo (corner stone) and position other stones towards its right and left. The masons used a measuring thread called thig to correctly align these stones. People from Rinchengang village in Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag are well known for their great masonry skills. Most villages in the western part of Bhutan use mud, instead of stones for house construction as mud houses are believed to keep the interior warm in winter and cool in summer. It also depended on the type of construction materials available. Some of the outstanding stone works are; a. Dzongs: Bhutan is dotted with these majestically erected fortresses that sit high on top of the hills often overlooking the valleys. The dzongs are located at strategic places. It has massive stone walls with large courtyards and beautiful woodwork on windows and cornices which are the most striking among the diverse architectural expressions of the country. These structures had served the purpose of defending the country against foreign invasions in the past. These magnificent structures are the true representation of our architectural uniqueness and the living testimony of our artistic skills. Dzongs are mostly rectangular and square structures while ta-dzong (watch towers) and Chu-dzong are mostly round cylindrical structures. Today, these dzong are the seat of administration and monastic body. b. Stupas: Choeten or stupas are literally translated as a vessel of worship or offering the most common feature on the Bhutanese landscape. It is believed that after the cremation of the Lord Buddha, his relics were divided among eight groups of claimants and that each of the claimants later erected a reliquary in which they preserved the relics. Thus, there are eight different types of choeten today (Choeten Degye). At that time, these structures were erected only to preserve the relics of sublime beings and assumed greater meaning and significance much later. Building a stupa came to be considered an act of great piety, earning merit for the actual builders as well as for those who supported the act. It is also a beautiful illustration of our masonry skills. A choeten requires a great deal of stonework, as it is built out of stones. We can also see prayer mantras carved on the stones. c. Long Prayer Walls: Long mani walls locally known as mani dang rim are the monuments from medieval Bhutan found along the main mule tracks displaying the mantra of Avalokiteshvara carved on slabs of slates. These elegant monuments were testimony to the richness of spiritual devotions as well as significant landmarks for travelers. They have survived extreme climatic conditions for many years. It is said that construction of Mani walls in the country had begun around 15th century during the time of Tertoen Pema Lingpa. However, most of the Mani walls were said to be constructed during the reign of the 4th Druk Desi Tenzin Rabgye (1638-96). Mani walls were largely constructed with locally available materials such as stones, a small quantity of timber and mud used as the mortar. Side plinth is raised from the ground and a wall is constructed at the height of about 6 feet and generally carved Mani slabs are placed on it either in single or double line from end to end. A timber superstructure is raised on the top with a wall height of one foot and is often roofed with flat stone slabs or slate. The middle and two ends are raised higher than the other parts with a particular architectural design. The center portion has a pocket for enshrining three deities of Manjushri (left), Avalokiteshvara (centre) and Vajrapani (right). The special place in the centre is made of timber and the deities are placed on the wall with a space in front for making butter lamp offerings or other offerings. d. Farm Houses: Bhutanese farmhouses are typically built out of mud and stone. A standard practice was to erect two-storied house although an ideal house had three main floors and an attic. The materials for the houses vary across the country depending on the climatic conditions and the topography of the places. For instance, Bago and Dag jar Zhikom (farmhouses made out of stones and wood) which are lightly decorated in traditional style are found in the southern and eastern parts of Bhutan. In central and western Bhutan, double storey houses with main walls made of stones and rammed earth while the inner partitions are made of bamboo mats are found. Houses in the cold places like Lingzhi and Laya, Merak and Sakteng are mostly built out of stonewall. e. Grinding Stones: Rangtha is a pair of round grinding stones that is maneuvered by the hands. This is usually found in places where stream water is not available in the vicinity. Chura is a bigger version of the rangtha which is powered by water. While the stone pair works on the same principle, the watermills are much bigger in size and often turn faster depending on the pace of the water flow. It is still being used in some rural villages. For example, in Bumthang it is mostly used for grinding wheat and buckwheat. f. Bridges: Stonework also finds its use in the construction of the traditional bridges, which were built out of wood and stones. The stone is used as the foundation (jamdo) for constructing all sorts of bridges like chazam (iron bridges), bazam (cantilever bridges) and tshazam (cane bridges which are no longer used).
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Shingzo: Wood work
For centuries, many great master carpenters of Bhutan have displayed their skills to produce distinctive architectural designs that had come to be our heritage in wood work or shingzo. Woodwork continues to be a dominant part of most construction works. For structures that require wood, master carpenters are called upon to employ their knowledge and skills and to engineer the entire works without any blue print. The achievements of our master carpenters are evident in the dzongs, temples and monasteries, palaces, houses and bridges. The dzongs are widely appreciated by their architectural marvels. Trulpai Zowo Balep is respected and revered as a legendary artisan, for his contribution in the construction of Punakha Dzong in 1637. A long thread called thig containing dissolved red soil; a pendulum (chongdo) and a wooden lopon are essential possessions of a carpenter as are other tools. Bhutanese master carpenters rely on their knowledge and experience, and are expert in the joining wood without using metal nails. Each structural part like pillars, doors, beams, window frames, and roof girders are fitted separately on the ground. These elements are then joined together using thick wooden pegs. Logs with ledges serve as staircases. Roofs are also made of wooden shingles, weight down in their places by boulders. Items for daily use: Skills in wood work are also employed in making tools and essential items as listed below: • Wooden printing blocks, altars and plates for making offerings in the household, drums (nga) and masks of different types; • Cups, scabbards, handles for knives and swords and boxes of different types; • Musical instruments like guitar and drums, • Various decorative items likethe dragons, eight lucky signs and other decorative items. • Sports items lime darts (khuru) and targets (bha), • Wooden phalluses of different sizes.
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Thagzo: The Art of Weaving
Thagzo or the art of weaving is one of the oldest and widely used skills that have been practised for ages. The all-encompassing use of textiles represents prestige, artistic skills, discipline, determination, familial sentiments, tangible form of asset, and expressions of devotion towards the dharma. Bhutanese textiles are the product of knowledge and skills developed and nurtured over centuries of experiences and family traditions. Our textiles are valued and renowned for their richness of colour, sophistication and variation of patterns, including the intricate fibre preparation, dyeing, weaving, and embroidery techniques. This rich and complex art of weaving is an inseparable part of our culture and history. Today, the wide availability of imported fibres and dyes are transforming the palette, textures, and surface qualities of the clothes produced. There are more than eleven types of yarns and dyes including the five main colours (white, yellow, red, green and blue) and six subsidiary colours (orange, dark green, light yellowish green, pink, light white, blue and black). These different colours are woven in accordance with different designs and patterns. Women from central and eastern regions of Bhutan are famous for their weaving skills and each region produces their own specialty. a. Weaving with Designs and Patterns: Every textile product has a name that expresses its particular combination of colour, design, pattern and fibre. Weaving pattern is either stripes - vertical for men, and horizontal for women in cotton, silk or wool. Required extra designs are made by adding warp threads. Patterns like the vajra (thunderbolt), the swastika, the tree or the wheel, each has symbolic meanings. Although the symbols used in Bhutanese textiles are primarily of geometric nature, they also have deep religious meanings. Some common geometric symbols include the dorje (Vajra), the drame (nets), the phenphenma (butterflies), the phub (Kiliya), the yudrung (Swastika), and the shinglo (leaves). The drame or the eternal knot is a classic Buddhist symbol. The phenphenma is a symbol of butterfly and the eight-pointed star, while the dorje or the thunderbolt represents the indestructible powers of Buddhism. The phub or the rainbow is a triangle pattern in successive rainbow colours. When dorje symbol is incorporated within the phub symbol, the pattern becomes dorjephub. The shinglo symbol is used mostly on the royal and noble family dresses since this symbol is the most difficult to weave. The shinglo symbol represents the “tree of life”. The therpochay ( Jana chagri) or the China Wall pattern is usually seen next to the phub design on kiras. The therpochay symbol is believed to have been derived from the designs on Chinese brocade. The yudrung portrays the crossroads where the four directions meet. A yudrung represents the balancing forces of the universe, when rotating. The yudrung is an ancient pattern and its epicentre is considered a spiritual place. Yudrung is depicted on the royal thrikheb as the centre most design. Bhutanese weavers usually weave two types of textiles; the plain woven meaning kar chang, and the pattern woven textile called metochem. These are described below. a.1. Karchang: The plain woven textiles include pangtse, mathra, sethra, adang mathra, shardang thara, and pe sar. Plain woven clothes are worn at home or work since they are cheaper than the pattern-woven clothes. Mathra (red pattern) is a varicolored plaid woven on a maroon or red field, sometimes woven with stripes (khaja) at the edges. Sethra (gold pattern) is a plaid weave usually with yellow or orange field as the dominant colour. Sethra has two popular colour combinations; red with black or blue plaid on a white field; and yellow, white and black on an orange field. Sethra dokhana consists of black colour in it while buechapgi sethra does not contain black. Thara has horizontal stripes with white as a dominant field. Shardang thara has multicoloured stripes while Samkhongma have narrow red-and-blue stripes, and Mondre which has a similar pattern to Samkhongma is worn mainly by older people in rural areas. Kamtham Jadrima is a striped textile with colours of the rainbow. Kamtham thara consists of simple warp stripes or plaids, which are gifted to a religious person. Pesar (new design) is a modern innovation with small patterns in striped plain cloth. Yu tham or the country cloth which is made of wild silk or cotton is very popular in the rural areas. Kawley is a completely black fabric of wool, which is believed to have healing properties. a.2. Meto Chem: Aikapur and Ku shu thara are the two specific kinds of pattern-woven textiles. Pattern-woven clothes are considered special, and are valued and saved for special occasions like festivals, marriages and for New Year celebrations. Bhutanese weavers weave many different types of clothes with intricate designs such as leaves, birds, trees and other animal patterns. These are briefly explained below. Aikapur: Aikapur is a textile woven of cotton or silk, and appears to be embroidered. Aikapur has double faced pattern bands called hor which alternate with rows of plain weave; with always an odd number of legs ‘kangpa’ or cross hatches. A textile is referred to as a b-sampa (with three legs; b-napa (with five legs); b-zumpa (with seven legs); b-gupa (with nine legs); b-songhthurpa (with eleven legs); and b-songsampa (with thirteen legs). Aikapur is differentiated by the colour of the background thread, and the supplementary thread used. The common colours used in aikapur are: dromchu chema, literally meaning ‘little boxes’, with red, green, yellow, and white pattern bands. Mentse mathra is a material with a yellow base, and with red and green stripes. Montha has a blue or black background with red pattern bands between colourful stripes. Lungserma has green and red pattern bands on a yellow background. Shinglo or ‘tree of life’ patterns made on the fabric are used to assess the quality of an aikapur. The delicate branches and leaves of these trees are inspected when judging the quality of a textile. Kushu Thara: Kushu thara used to be considered aristocratic and the most prestigious dress for women. Ku shu thara is woven from vegetable dyed cotton and raw silk (bura) or entirely from silk. Ku shu thara has spectacular brocade design which take up to a year to weave. Ku shu thara is always embellished on a white base, and a similar kira with a blue or black background is called ngosham .Sapma, the continuous weft patterns, and tingma, the alternative weft patterns are used as base pattern for kushuthara, ngosham or shinglochem. Shinglochem can be either a gho or a kira, woven with alternate rows of warp pattern bands. b. Weaving Materials: Bhutanese produce fibres such as raw cotton, wool, nettle fibre, yak hair and bura (raw silk). The most expensive and the most valued fibre in Bhutan is raw silk. The Bhutanese do not kill the silk worms that remain inside after spinning its cocoon, but are left until they escape, which breaks the thread before it is unrolled. That is why, Bhutanese raw silk feels and looks relatively coarse compared to Indian and Chinese silk. Several types of yarn like seshu (cultivated from mulberry silk moth Bombayx mori), bura (produced by wild non-mulberry silk moth), namdru kuep (parachute silk), and varieties of silk imported from India are notable. b.1. Nettle: Nettle or stinging nettle, though now rarely used, is said to have been the original and chief fibre used by weavers in ancient Bhutan. Nettle fibre is coarse but strong and durable. That is why people in villages used it to weave sacks, bags, kurel, pagi, pakhi, bundi and tabden. Owing to its strength it is also used as bow string. Nettle is herbaceous flowering plant that grows in temperate and sub-tropical zone. The plant grows up to 2 meters in height with spiny stems and leaves and bears white to yellowish flowers. Nettle bark contains baste fibre which is strong, smooth and light. In Bhutan, nettle fibres are harvested in the months of October and November. After peeling the stems, the fibres are dried, and then cooked with ash for about 6 hours. The fibres are then washed with cold water, and beaten in order to remove the outer cover. After removing the outer cover, the fibres are dried and dyed with natural dyes. The nettle plants are shredded, and twisted into thin fibres using a drop spindle. Nettle fibres are used to weave bundi or carry bag. Bundi is usually woven with brocaded yudrung motif at the centre of the middle panel, on a white colour base. The bundi or carry bag consists of three lengths of cloth sewn together to form a square panel. Ropes on the diagonal sides of this piece are tied together to carry possessions and bedding. b.2. Wool: Yarns from yak, sheep and goat wool are spun using phang (drop spindle) and moved to a chaphang (spinning wheel). The herders of the high valleys of Merak and Sakteng weave shingka (tunic-style dresses), women’s jackets and belts. They also make hats, ropes, tents, and bags out of yak hair, and floor mats and blankets from sheep wool. The Layap women’s dress includes a black woollen jacket, a long woollen skirt, adorned with lot of jewels, which often include teaspoons. Women also wear conical bamboo hats with a bamboo spike at the top, held by beaded bands. Shingka, an ancient tunic-style textile that was woven with either a ngoshingkha (blue) or a laushingkha (red) wool base, was worn by a high lama during religious ceremonies. Char khab, woven from wool (of yak or sheep) either on a pedal loom or back strap loom is used for protection from snow, cold, and rain. It is water-resistant and an essential item for the herders in cold the region. Sephu charkhab (rain cloaks from Sephu) is a colourful textile with bands of green, blue, white and orange. Bumthang and Trongsa were known for a woollen fabric called yathra, which was used as a cover from rain and cold. In the late 1990s, farmers in Trongsa had stopped raising sheep which inevitably put an end to the practise of weaving yathra. Yathra is used as bed covers, blankets, rain cloaks, cushion covers, sofa set covers, and as jackets for both men and women. b.3. Cotton: Kershing (cotton) is used to separate the cotton seeds, and then fluff out to make it ready for spinning into yarn with the help of a wooden spindle or spinning wheel. Usually cotton woven with traditional designs on white background, chagsi pangkheb was put on laps to wipe hands before and after meals by persons of higher positions. In the early days, Bhutanese women used to put on an apron-like wear called dongkheb as a sign of respect while approaching the king or a high official. Phechung is a cotton woven carry bag woven but its usage is now limited to ceremonial receptions along with chagsi pangkheb. Thrikheb (throne cover) is a rare textile used as the King’s throne cover. It is also used for the lamas during religious ceremonies. Chephur gyaltshen (banner with frills), gyaltshen (pair of cylindrical hangings with valance), bumgho (bumpa covers), kheb and tenkheb (altar covers),phen (pair of triangular topped hangings) and chephur (a pair of cylindrical hangings) are some of the other cloth products that are used in altars and monasteries. Hingthub is a time-consuming but highly cherished textile woven for loved ones or for use by the weaver or their ‘lord’. The finer product demonstrates the dedication of the weaver. It is also used by the weaver’s family or to stitch outer attire for statues or as wall hangings. Today most of the yarns for weaving like raw silk, cotton and acrylic are imported while some of the yarn is spun and processed locally. The availability of cheap machine spun yarns from India has overtaken the local cotton cultivation. b.4. Types of Loom: There are three types of looms used by weavers in Bhutan. Traditionally pangthag was the most commonly used loom for weaving larger size garments. The smaller version of this loom called kethag is used for weaving narrow items like belts. In the 1970s, another type of loom called thri-thag (khri-thags) was adopted from India. This loom gained popularity in the growing urban centres. This later type is a horizontal loom with pedals. Each region has a speciality in terms of designs and types. Kurtoe is known for Ku shu thara, while marthra and serthra are mostly produced in Bumthang. Trashigang district is well known for weaving aikapur, while pangkheb and montha come from Kheng. b.5. Dyes: Bhutanese weavers consider the coordination of pleasing colours more important than the designs, patterns and techniques. Strong taboos are associated with the dyeing process and the weavers are very particular about colour shades. They believe that malevolent spirits, certain weather conditions, strangers or pregnant women can ruin the dye. Like the weaving techniques, the recipes for dyeing are closely guarded family secrets and the formula is usually passed down from mother to daughter. There are a number of dye-yielding plants. Weavers obtain dyes using simple methods from barks, flowers, fruits, leaves, and roots of plants, and minerals. Today, chemical or synthetic dyes called tsho-sar are easily available while the natural dye is called tsho nying. They are easily recognisable by their hue. Some of the natural dyes obtained from plants are described below. - Indigo: Shades of green, purple, blue and black are obtained from leaves of trees locally called yangshaba (Strobilanthus flaccidifolius) in Tshangla dialect. Indigo (lndigofera spp.) plants are cultivated in household gardens as a source of blue dye. Alum earths, sour fruits, and dug shing (Symplocos) leaves are used as a mordant in dyeing to fix the colouring matter. Indigo plant leaves are fermented for two weeks, and then passed through acidic ash water. - Lac: Jatsho (Lacifer lacca) is an organic dye that produces colours ranging from pink to deep red. Lac is boiled in water until it becomes sticky dough. The pulp is mixed with roasted wheat and allowed to ferment for 10 days. The selected yarn is then put into the boiling mixture until the colour gets absorbed. Churoo (Phyllanthusemblica) is used as a fixating element in dye. - Madder: Dried stems and leaves of madder called tsoe (Rubia cordifolia) are chopped into small pieces. This material is boiled together with the yarn to produce several colours ranging from pink to deep red. It is good for dyeing raw silk, cotton and wool. Madder can be preserved in dry place for years. The ripe berries of berberis, locally called kepatsang (Berberis aristata) are used as a source of red colour, while the barks of nut of the walnut tree can be used to obtain orange colour in woollen yarns. - Pangtse: Leaves from pangtse shing (Symplocos paniculata) are gathered from the forest, which can be used fresh or dried, to make yellow colour .Pangtse leaves are boiled in water along with woollen yarns. The yarn is then allowed to drip. Sometimes, yung ga (Curcuma longa) or turmeric is also used to obtain a bright yellow colour. Lemon, also called churoo (Emblica officinalis), variety of other berries, herbs, plants, and roots are used along with alum mordant to boost colours in the yarn. However, since dyed yarns from India are available at cheaper price, only a few Bhutanese weavers practise the tradition of natural dyeing processes these days.
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Tshemzo: The art of Tailoring, Embroidery and Appliqué
Tshemzo includes three forms of art - tailoring, embroidery and appliqué under one name. Tailoring involves stitching all kinds of garments while embroidery, which is called tshemdrub, and appliqué or lhemdrub are done for making thangka and thongdroel. According to Lam Nado (Druk Karpo, 1986), the art Embroidery called tshemdrub and appliqué was introduced in Bhutan by Drung Damcho Gyaltshen, secretary of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. He was not only a scholar but was also highly skilled in the art of Tshemzo. Later the art was widely spread by Penlop (Chieftain) Drakpa Jamtsho and Choeje (Nobility) Jamgon Ngawang Gyaltshen subsequently. Tshemdrub involves working with thread and needle to produce designs while lhemdrub involves fixing the cut patches of either silk or brocade to produce bigger images. Monks normally practice the art of embroidery and appliqué.Monks produce large religious scrolls known as Thangkas that portray Buddhist deities and saints. Seven different kinds of embroidery are practiced: • Lhugtshem-light coloured embroidery • Sitshem- the bold coloured embroidery • Nyitshem- double-embroidery • Chagthagtshem- Iron-chain embroidery • Zurtshem- lining embroidery • Dongtshem- front embroidery • Chedtshem- outline embroidery a. Sewing Traditional Garments: Common practice among the people is lagtshem (hand sweing) or thrultshem (sewing by using a tailoring machine). These tailors are skilled at sewing the traditional Bhutanese garments. They stitch gho and kira, the national attires for men and women respectively. They also design and stitch tego and wonju (blouse) worn by Bhutanese women. Traditionally, lagtshem- to stitch costumes with bare hands using the thread and needles were practiced and were done mostly at home. Today, however, with the advancement in technologies, tailors use modern sewing machines, which are more effective and carried out with much ease.
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Parzo: The Art of Carving
Parzo is the art of carving on wood, stone and slate. This art is evident throughout the country displayed magnificently on wooden structures of fortresses, palaces, stupas, temples, traditional houses and even on furniture. The following section describes some forms of carving. a. Woodcarving: Wood has been one of the most widely used resources in the country. Some of the masks worn by dancers during the festivals, the altars in the shrine room of any house, containers like bowls and cups, sheaths and handles of knives and swords, xylographic blocks are all carved out of wood. b. Choesham, Decorative Items and Furniture: Every house has a choesham (altar) entirely made of wood. Generally the altars will have carvings like choetsi and other designs such as dragons, flowers, eight lucky signs and mythological animals, on the main structure in accordance with the desires of the owner. On the upper part of the structure called gu-chag the altar will have the designs called pema, norbu, bagam, boh and ngangpa. Cabinets, chogdroms, divans, decorative floral items, religious motifs like dragons, tashi tagye and various legendary animals are carved out of wood. The three sides of chogdrom (traditional portable table) are carved with dragons, flowers or other legendary animals. Dramnyen, the traditional Bhutanese guitar is carved from wood in an intricate dragon design. The fingerboard is usually decorated with colourful traditional symbols. The hollowed sound box is covered with goatskin, and attached with either silk or nylon strings. c. Masks: The Bhutanese make various shapes and sizes of masks from semi-hardwood, usually blue pine to depict the face of gods, animals and mythological figures. These carved wooden masks are used in the sacred and religious dances. Carved wooden masks are also popular as decorations in houses, dzongs, temples and monasteries. d. Xylography: Before the invention of wood carving tradition in Bhutan, all religious texts and official documents were primarily written by hand. With the introduction of woodblock carving and printing technique by Terton Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), religious texts and images have been carved on woodblocks, thereby reproducing numerous copies, by printing on paper and textiles. Each and every temple and monastery in Bhutan hold a copy of the Buddhist cannons (the teachings) and commentaries on the teachings. Many of the texts from the cannon have been carved on wood, and reproduced by printing on paper. Woodblock carving is usually carried out on dried birch wood. To make a wooden block for carving, the woodblock is adequately oiled to make it soft and smooth for carving. The wooden block surface is then planed smooth on which the written text is glued. Once the paper has dried, it is removed from the block leaving the image of the scripts on the woodblock. The mirror image of the texts that need to be printed is left on the surface while those parts not required are removed with gouges or chisels. The texts are then carved with the help of chisels. Images and other patras (intricate designs) are carved only on to one side of the wooden block, whereas religious texts are carved on both sides of the woodblock. The carved woodblock is then coated with ink, and a sheet of paper is placed over the inked blocks. The paper is then rubbed and pressed with a roller to get the text printed. It is then left to dry either in shed or sun. Four different kinds of tools are used for xylography such as zhogthig, yatag, segchung. Round letters are carved using the tip of the mindrug with its sharp crescent shape tip. The tip of the yatag with its more relaxed crescent shape is used to carve the sub-bending yatag script. Similar to the typical Bhutanese knife; the tip of segchung is slightly slanted and carves the rest of the letters of the scripts. Zhogthig, with its wider and large tip is used to carve the lines in the space on the edge of the text that maintain the outer margin. e. Stone Carving: In Bhutan, carving on stones is not as diverse or common as wood carving but it existed in Bhutan. One comes across huge water driven grinding stone mills, hollowed-out stones used for pounding and husking grains, troughs for feeding animals, images of deities, gods and religious figures carved onto large rocks. In Bhutan, stones were also carved to make stone pots and utensils, but today these have become rare because of modern alternatives. f. Slate Carving: Slate carving is another form of art that is being practiced in Bhutan. Slate, called as do nag, is found in abundance in Bhutan, and the artisan is known as donag lopen. Portraits depicting deities and religious figures, inscriptions of mantras and religious scripts are carved onto slates, and adorned onto the exterior walls of temples, monasteries, dzongs and choetens. Apart from carving on wood, stone and slate, the Bhutanese people also carve images of gods and deities on rhino horns and ivory.
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Lhazo: Painting
Bhutanese paintings are quintessential of the arts and crafts tradition known as Lhazo. Bhutanese paintings are religious in their orientation and are not created in isolation. The traditional painters are called Lhadrips (one who makes drawings of lha - higher beings). A lhadrip paints and decorates a new house with traditional symbols, paint a chosham (an altar) or a Thangka or Thongdroel with the images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and deities with strict adherence to the already accepted norms. Another striking feature of Bhutanese paintings is anonymity. Bhutanese lhadrips would never sign on their works. It is, however, the names of the patrons who are mentioned on the paintings, if mentioned at all. By the same token, it is believed that the traditional painters gain lots of merits by the act of painting these religious arts. These paintings are aimed at providing spiritual lessons to the viewers and therefore assume meditative functions. The painters use naturally pigmented soils that are obtained from different parts of the country. The yellow colours are found in the districts of Gasa and Bumthang while the red colour is found in Wamrong under Trashigang District, black soil comes from Phuentsholing and Trashigang and white soil from Paro. Lhadrip apprentices learn to paint a wide range of images including simple motifs like the eight lucky signs and gradually move on to more complex subjects such as thangkas – large painting scrolls. Thangkas are complex because they depict various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the deities and saints with their follower and appropriate backgrounds. They are often painted on canvas and then stitched in silk frames. Traditional paintings are classified into four categories: a. Mural Painting: The mural painting is called debri.The inside walls of the temples are usually filled with mural paintings of different kinds. The surfaces of the inside walls are first smoothened and plastered with fine clay and then left to dry. Sometimes they use another technique by carefully laying a fine sheet of cotton cloth over the plastered walls which is not easily visible. The mural paintings vary from the images of Lord Buddha and Guru Rinpoche and their activities, bhavacakra (sidpa khorlo) or wheel of existence, varied icons of deities (lhatshog), adepts and saints. We also find the paintings of Mandala. These frescos are, therefore, strictly religious and strikingly beautiful. b. Statue Painting: Statues are either moulded from clay or cast out of bronze and metal. Once they are completed, then the lhadrips paint them using appropriate colour. The clay statues are painted all over while the metal statues are painted only on the face, often with gold. c. Scroll Painting: Scroll (thangka) paintings are different from mural paintings as they are painted on canvas for hanging on the walls. Scroll paintings can be kept folded in a safe place and unfolded and displayed on auspicious occasions. In order to make a thangka, the painter fixes a damp piece of canvas onto a wooden frame. Then a mixture of lime and gum is scrubbed on the surface. The surface is then polished and smoothed. The artist then draws a grid to guide him. When the colour is applied these lines disappear. A thangka is stitched with silk and brocade border of appropriate colours and has two frames fixed to the upper and lower borders to suspend and stretch. Thongdroel is a much larger version of a thangka. It is believed that merely seeing the painting can liberate sentient beings from samsara. Thus, it brings merit not only to the believers but for the painters as well. d. Wood Painting: Shing tshon (Shing means wood and tshon means colour painting) is done on the wooden structure. The outside walls of the temples, monasteries and farm houses are normally whitewashed while the wooden structures are painted with varied patterns and symbols often in accordance with different names accorded to different parts. These are bow, phana, pem, choetsi, norbu and bagam. Although the choice of colours may vary from one painter to another, often depending on the choice of the owner or main architect, the style of paintings are generally uniform. Paintings on the walls depict the traditional patterns like flowers, traditional symbols, eight lucky signs or Tashi Tagye (eight lucky signs), and the four lungta signs of Tag Seng Chung Druk (Tiger, Snow Lion, Garuda and Dragon). The painting of the Four Friends is popular on the walls. Some walls are also painted with phalluses. In order to paint on the wooden walls, the method called ‘pounce and spray’ is used. A painter uses an outline of a pattern or the design on a piece of paper to be painted on the walls. The outlines have pricked holes through which a powdered colour contained in a cloth is pressed to produce dotted pattern of the original patterns on the paper. The painter then traces these outlines to paint.
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Jomokora: Ama Jomo pilgrimage
Ama Jomo is the local protectress of Merak and Sakteng communities but most of eastern Bhutan pay homage to this female deity. Ama Jomo is believed to be the manifestation of Jomo Remati, Palden Lhamo or Mahakali (one of the principal guardian of Bhutan). From the 21st day of the 7th month according to the Bhutanese calendar, people of Merak set off for their pilgrimage to Ama Jomo’s citadel, the sacred mountain of Jomo Kukhar or Jomo Phodrang (meaning citadel/palace of Jomo). This pilgrimage is called jomkora. Laden with different items of tshog (offering items) composed of fruits and food items, areca nuts and betel leaves, people set off on the journey dressed in their best attire. All the edibles taken on pilgrimage should be free of onion, garlic, egg, and pork, and all pilgrims making the journey should be free from contaminations such as birth or death impurities. It is not just a pilgrimage; for the local people, it is also a time to make offering to Ama Jomo. The pilgrimage is undertaken to thank the protectress as well as to renew their relationship with her for continued support. During the jomkora, religious ceremonies in honour of Ama Jomo are held in the temple. Men set off to the summit of the citadel and offer prayers. A sacred song dedicated to the Ama Jomo, called “Aemo Chilay”, is also sung only at this time. Lyric of the song is as follows: How wonderful and auspicious it is! Crossing one mountain pass and yet another, Having crossed the Gogo Pass. How wonderful and auspicious it is! How wonderful and auspicious it is! At the Gogo La, The stallion said he will not cross it. How wonderful and auspicious it is! How wonderful and auspicious it is! On the white stallion, Hang the jingling bells. How wonderful and auspicious it is! How wonderful and auspicious it is! The one who resides on the three peaks, The healthy Ama Jomo. How wonderful and auspicious it is! How wonderful and auspicious it is! The gallant pawo reside on the right, The gallant pamo reside on the left. How wonderful and auspicious it is! How wonderful and auspicious it is! If circumambulated clockwise, Defilements of the right side are cleansed. How wonderful and auspicious it is! How wonderful and auspicious it is! If circumambulated anticlockwise, Defilements of the left side are cleansed. How wonderful and auspicious it is! How wonderful and auspicious it is! If circumambulated both ways, Defilements of the body are cleansed. How wonderful and auspicious it is! On that journey, men take the opportunity to ride their best horses. Therefore, the pilgrimage also provides an occasion for horseracing, which is held at the place called Serkim La. Although there is no tradition of awarding prizes to the winners, any man falling off the horse or losing any belongings from his pack is subjected to fines.
Bhutan