Cham dance in Bumthang, Bhutan

This is the visual representation of the Ging (emanations) of Guru Rinpoche subduing the Jyungpo Nyulema (obstacles to the Dharma) demons through their clairvoyance. The Nyulema demons may flee in the three worlds, but the Ging with the stick find them, catch them with the hook of compassion, beat them with the stick of wisdom and tie them up with the noose of compassion.

The cham dance is a lively masked and costumed dance associated with some sects of Buddhism, and is part of Buddhist festivals. The dance is accompanied by music played by monks using traditional Tibetan instruments. The dances often offer moral instruction relating to compassion for sentient beings and are held to bring merit to all who perceive them.

In Bhutan, the dances are performed during an annual religious festival known as Tsechu, which is held in each district. Only monks or male members of the Royal Academy of Performing Arts are allowed to perform a cham dance in Bhutan.
Tsechus are religious festivals of Drukpa Buddhism. Tsechus are large social gatherings, which perform the function of social bonding among people of remote and spread-out villages. Nimalung Lhakhang is located in Chumey in Bumthang. It is approximately a 15 minute drive from the road that branches off from the village of Chumey.

The focal point of the tsechus are the sacred Cham Dances, which are banned in neighbouring Tibet. These costumed, masked dances typically are moral vignettes, or based on incidents from the life of the 9th century Nyingmapa teacher Padmasambhava and other saints.

Most tsechus also feature the unfurling of a thongdrel (or thangka) - a large tapestry typically depicting a seated Guru Rinpoche surrounded by holy beings, the mere viewing of which is said to cleanse the viewer of sin. The thongdrel is raised before dawn and rolled down by morning.

Because tsechus depend on the availability of masked dancers, registered dancers are subject to fine if they refuse to perform during festivals.

Padmasambhava, the great Nyingmapa scholar, visited Tibet and Bhutan in the 8th century and 9th century. He used to convert opponents of Buddhism by performing rites, reciting mantras and finally performing a dance of subjugation to conquer local spirits and gods. He visited Bhutan to aid the dying king Sindhu Raja. Padmasambhava performed a series of such dances in the Bumthang valley to restore the health of the king. The grateful king helped spread Buddhism in Bhutan. Padmasambhava organized the first tsechu in Bumthang, where the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava being the human form) were presented through eight forms of dances. These became the Chams depicting the glory of Padmasambhava.

source - Wikipedia

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