Paro Festival: Essential Guide to the Largest Tshechu in Paro

As one of the most important festivals in the Bhutanese calendar, the Paro Tshechu is held every year as a celebration of the Buddhist saint, Guru Rinpoche, better known as Padmasambhava. Credited with bringing Buddhist to Tibet in the 8th century, following the initial building of Dzongs by the Tibetan king in the 7th century, Guru Rinpoche is held in high esteem in Bhutan, and is one of the most important saints in the Bhutanese version of Tibetan Buddhism. If you are planning a trip to Paro in Bhutan, traveling at the time of the festival is a great way to learn more about the local people, culture, and religion.

History of Paro Tshechu

The festival of Guru Rinpoche in Paro has been running annually since the 17th century. However, the events of the festival date back to the 8th century, when Guru Rinpoche came to Bhutan to convert the people to Buddhism and remove the evil spirits that were corrupting the country and causing chaos throughout the universe. Guru Rinpoche performed the ritual dances that drove out the evil beings from Paro Valley, after spending three years, three months, three weeks, and three days meditating in the cave where the Paro Taktshang Monastery now sits.

The initial visit of Padmasambhava to Bhutan came about at the request of the ailing king, Sindhu Raja, whose health was failing. After performing the ritual dances, the king became well, and helped to promote Buddhism in the area of Bumthang where he ruled. After his recovery, Padmasambhava himself ordered the first true festival celebration, and performed the dances known as the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, which is still performed today at the festivals across the country.

However, despite Guru Rinpoche aiding the king and bringing Buddhism to Bhutan, the Paro Tshechu was not initiated until the 17th century. The festival was founded during the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the founder of a united Bhutan, and the building of the famous Paro Dzong. Namgyel and the Ponpo, Rigzin Nyingpo, began the festival as a celebration of the consecration of the Dzong in 1644 and to honor the Guru Rinpoche, who permitted its building, despite a war coming in the midst of its construction.

When is Paro Festival in 2023?

Traditionally, the Paro Tshechu is held for five days from the 10th day of the 2nd month in the Bhutanese lunisolar calendar, which is normally around the end of February, but can sometimes be as late as April, depending on the Buddhist calendar. The dates for the festival change in the Gregorian calendar of the west due to the months in the Bhutanese calendar having only 30 days, and the addition of an extra month in one year every 3-4 years to align the calendar with solar rotation.

In 2023, the dates change greatly, with the festival starting on April 2, and ending on April 6, 2023.

Where to Celebrate Paro Tshechu

Every year, the Paro Tshechu is held at the famous Rinpung Dzong in Paro Dzongkhag, a huge Buddhist monastery and fortress that was founded by the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel almost 400 years ago. Belonging to the Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism in Bhutan, the Dzong is the traditional home of the local Monastic Body, and holds the government offices of the Dzongkhag. An ancient and revered Dzong, it has been placed on the “tentative’ list for inclusion by the UNESCO World Heritage organization.

The main ceremonies are held in the inner courtyard of the Dzong, inside the main walls of the monastery, and last for just the first day. Most of the rest of the festivities are held in the outer courtyard from the second day, with locals and tourists gathering to watch the five fabulous days of the festival. Some parts of the festival in the second to fifth days are held within the monastery courtyards, while others are held elsewhere in the monastery grounds.

How to Celebrate the Paro Tshechu

The first day of the Tshechu is the most important for the rituals and ceremonies of the Buddhist monks. These rituals and ceremonies offer thanks and request blessings from guru Rinpoche, and often involve lots of chanting of the sutras, burning of juniper branches, and ritual prayers and other ceremonial rituals. The first day is normally preceded by several days and nights of prayers and chanting by the monks, to prepare for the festival and to ask for the blessings of the Buddhist deities.

The second day of the festival is the day of the Shingje Yab Yum, one of the most common of the sacred mask dances performed at the festivals in Bhutan. The dance is the first mask dance performed at many festivals, and features both male and female Yamantaka Deities, the “destroyers of death”.

The third and fourth days of the festival are for celebrations, and are held all over the grounds of the monastery, with both monks and locals performing for the people. Dances and dramas abound over these two days, and it is normal to see more than a dozen Cham Dance performances, including the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava (Guru Tshengye dance), the Shawa Shachi, the Dance with the Dranyen , and the famous Raksha Mangcham , to name a few.

The final day of the festival is the most important of all for many of the onlookers that have come to spend the whole five days here. This is the day of the Thongdroel. Thongdroel are the giant embroidered images of the Guru Rinpoche and the other Buddhist deities, similar in form to the Thangka of Tibet. These impressive examples of Buddhist art are only ever brought out once a year, at the main festival of the Dzong, and are considered to be so sacred, they can absolve the onlookers of the sins of the entire year just by gazing on the Thongdroel.

What to Experience during Paro Festival

For tourists taking a Paro Festival tour, the experience is a little different from those local Buddhists that attend the festival, but it is no less awe-inspiring or outstanding nonetheless. This is one of the most exhilarating experiences of Bhutan, and a chance to spend a little time getting involved in the whole event.

In Bhutan, tourists are actually encouraged to experience and take part in the festivals, where it is permitted for non-monks and laymen to participate. The most exciting aspect of the festivals are the cham dances, with their colorful clothing and hideous or scary masks, as the dancers whirl and spin around the stages, jumping and bouncing across the stage to the sounds of some of the most unique music on the planet.

Folk dances are also an amazing experience, performed not by practiced monks, but by the local people, often using schoolchildren as the performers. Mostly performed by the women, these folk dances are interludes to the mask dances, and vie for a position with the famed Apsaras.

The Bhutanese people are one of the most hospitable peoples on the planet, and it is a common fact that foreigners are always welcomed when visiting Bhutan. In fact, you might find that, the people are so hospitable and accommodating, they will often invite foreign tourists at the festivals to join them at their picnics, to exchange food and stories, and to learn more about where you are from. Bhutan’s schooling is all done in English, so most of the younger people now speak relatively decent English.

Where to Stay for Paro Festival Tour

Where you stay in Paro depends on what level of hotel you requested when you booked your tour. Hotels in Bhutan for tourists start at three stars and up, and there are plenty of all levels of those in Paro for you to stay in during your festival trip.

If you want to stay in the star-rated hotels of Paro, which include the Le Meridien, the Tashi Phuntsok, or the Gangtey Palace, then you can find all that you need there, from room service to a comfortable night’s sleep in air-conditioned rooms.

Alternatively, for the best experience of the festival, you can stay in a Paro homestay house, where you can live as the locals do for the period of the festival, eating with the family you are staying with and enjoying the true festival celebrations as a local, not as a tourist. You can even get local clothes to help blend in and make the experience all the more authentic.

Travel Tips for Paro Festival Tours

If you are planning a trip to Paro for the festival, then you should book the tour well in advance. While this time of year is not the peak seasons for tourism in Bhutan, it is a time that is more popular for travelers, as it is classed as one of the largest and most popular festivals in Bhutan. Booking well in advance ensures that you can go at the time you want.

There are some pieces of advice for attending festivals in Bhutan, and a few rules never hurt anyone. Festivals in Bhutan are very much religious festivals, and you should be mindful of the significance of the religious ceremonies to the local people. However, that said, once the religious part of the festival is done, which is usually on the first day, the rest of the time is spent in merry-making, eating, dancing, singing, and other such social activities, and you are welcome to join in. Most locals will even ask you to join them, so feel free. Just remember to follow the advice of your guide when it comes to good form.

Conclusion of Paro Festival Travel Guide

Paro Tshechu is one of the most important festivals in Bhutan, which held in Paro Dzong every year on the 10th day of the 2nd month in the Bhutanese lunisolar calendar.

You can see the featured mask dances and traditional folk dances during the festival event. Also, you can join in the locals to have picnic with them, to experience the local life of the ordinary citizens.

If you plan to take a Bhutan tour with Paro Tshechu experience, it is suggested to make early reservation so that you can have more choices on the accommodation and book your flight ticket easier.