Pemagatshel Tshechhu
Beautiful festival with local dance, folk dance, and village people performing. The festival is unique and tourists hardly visit it due to its distance from Paro airport. Pemagatshel is a small district in the eastern part of Bhutan and the best way to enter Pemagatshel is from Guwahati.
Pemagatshel Festival, also known as the Pemagatshel Tshechu, is an annual festival held in the Pemagatshel district of Bhutan. The festival is a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the region, and it features a variety of traditional music, dance, and other performances.
During the Pemagatshel Festival, locals dress up in their finest traditional attire and gather at the Pemagatshel Dzong, a stunning fortress-like monastery. The festival begins with the unfurling of the thongdrel, a large religious scroll that is believed to bestow blessings on those who see it.
One of the highlights of the Pemagatshel Festival is the Cham dance, a series of sacred mask dances performed by monks and laypeople. The Cham dance is believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to those who witness it.
Other festivities at the Pemagatshel Festival include the traditional archery competition, where participants use handmade bows and arrows to display their archery skills, and the display of sacred relics and statues.
Food is also an important part of the Pemagatshel Festival, and visitors can enjoy traditional Bhutanese dishes like Ema Datshi, a spicy cheese and chili dish, and Red Rice, a staple of Bhutanese cuisine.
Overall, the Pemagatshel Festival is a vibrant and colorful celebration of Bhutanese culture, and it offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich traditions of the region.
Festival Program
- Consecration of Dzongs and Monasteries by local monk body.
- Welcome speech by the Pemagatshel governor.
- Mask Dance performed by a local monk.
- Local dance by villagers.
- Blessing from Lama.
- Festival Date for 2023/24 starts from 9th to 11 November.