Festivals

The Tshechu means the festivals in Bhutan. Tshechus are one of the popular sites for the tourists. In traditional Bhutanese attending festival gains merit for the next life. Tshechus dedicated to Guru Rinpoche are celebrated for several days, in many locations at different time of the year. The highlight, in some tshechus is the viewing of the thongdrel (a huge and sacred thangka).

The most popular for tourists are the tshechus held in Thimphu, Paro and Bumthang, the busiest time of year for the tourism industry. During the tshechus the dzongs come to life with color, music, and many villagers dress in their finest clothes, (once in a year, passed down from generations). It is the only time for the villagers to take off from their busy farm work to socialize with their relatives and accountancies. During the tshechus, rare masked dances and other rituals are performed. Each dance has its own spiritual importance and is performed by monks or layman.

Tourists are allowed into the dzongs to watch the festivals, but not into the inner sanctuaries. Photographs allowed at the tshechus, but not inside the sanctuaries.

Enclosed festival dates. In some areas, especially outside Thimphu and Paro, festival dates can change without notice.

Goto festival dates of 2005 | 2006 | 2007

List of 2005 Festivals

Festivals	Places	Dates
1. Punakha Dromchoe	Punkakha	February 13th - February 17th
2. Chorten kora	Trashiyangtse	February 23rd - March 10th
3. Gomkora	Trashiyangtse	March 18th - March 20th
4. Chukha Tshechu	Chukha	March 18th - March 20th
5. Paro Tshechu	Paro	February 21st - March 25th
6. Ura Tshechu	Bumthang	April 19th - April 23rd
7. Nimalung Tshechu	Bumthang	June 15th - June 17th
8. Kurjey Tshechu	Bumthang	June 27th
9. Wangdiphodrang Tshechu	Wangdiphodrang	September 11st - September 23rd
10. Tamshingphala Choepa	Bumthang	September 12th - September 14th
11. Thimphu Drupchen	Thimphu	September 8th - September 12th
12. Thimphu Tshechu	Thimphu	September 13th - September 15th
13. Tangbi Mani	Bumthang	September 17th - September 19th
14. Jambay Lakhang Drup	Bumthang	October 17th - October 21st
15. Paker Tshechu	Bumthang	October 18th - October 20th
16. Nalakhar Tshechu	Bumthang	December 15th - December 17th
17. Mongar Tshechu	Mongar	December 7th - December 10th
18. Pemagatshel Tshechu	Pemagatshel	December 7th - December 10th
19. Tashigang Tshechu	Tashigang	December 8th - December 11th
20. Trongsa Tshechu	Trongsa	January 8th - January 10th
21. Lhuntse Tshechu	Lhuntse	January 8th - January 10th

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Date for 2006 Festivals

Sl. No	FESTIVAL	PLACE	DATES
1	PUNAKHA DROMCHE	PUNAKHA	MARCH 4 – MARCH 8
2	CHORTEN KORA	TRASHIYANGTSE	MARCH 14 – MARCH 29
3	GOMKORA	TRASHIGANG	APRIL 6 – APRIL 8
4	CHHUKHA TSHECHU	CHHUKHA	APRIL 6 – APRIL 8
5	PARO TSHECHU	PARO	APRIL 9 – APRIL 13
6	URA YAKCHOE	BUMTHANG	MAY 7 – MAY 11
7	NIMALUNG TSHECHU	BUMTHANG	JULY 4 – JULY 6
8	KURJEY TSHECHU	BUMTHANG	JULY 6
9	WANGDI TSHECHU	WANGDUE PHODRANG	SEPT 30 – OCT 2
10	TAMSHINGPHALA CHOEPA	BUMTHANG	OCT 1 – OCT 3
11	THIMPHU DRUPCHEN	THIMPHU	SEPT 27 – OCT 1
12	THIMPHU TSHECHU	THIMPHU	OCT 2 – OCT 4
13	TANGBI MANI	BUMTHANG	OCT 6 – OCT 8
14	JAMBAY LHAKHANG DRUP	BUMTHANG	NOV 5 – NOV 9
15	PRAKHAR DUCHHOED	BUMTHANG	NOV 6 - NOV 8
16	NALAKHAR TSHECHU	BUMTHANG	DEC 4 – DEC 6
17	MONGAR TSHECHU	MONGAR	NOV 27 – NOV 28
18	PEMAGATSHEL TSHECHU	PEMAGATSHEL	NOV 27- NOV 30
19	TRASHIGANG TSHECHU	TRASHIGANG	NOV 28 – DEC 1
20	TRONGSA TSHECHU	TRONGSA	DEC 28 – DEC 30
21	LHUNTSE TSHECHU	LHUNTSE	DEC 28 – DEC 30

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Date for 2007 Festivals

Sl.No	FESTIVAL	PLACE	DATES
1	PUNAKHA DROMCHE	PUNAKHA	FEB 21ST- FEB 25TH
2	CHORTEN KORA	TRASHIYANGTSE	MAR 3RD & MAR 19th
3	GOMKORA	TRASHIGANG	MAR 26TH – MAR 28TH
4	PARO TSHECHU	PARO	MAR 29TH –APRIL 2ND
5	CHHIKHA TSHECHU	CHHUKHA	MAR 31ST – APRIL 2ND
6	URA YAKCHOE	BUMTHANG	APRIL 27TH – MAY 1ST
7	NIMALUNG TSHECHU	BUMTHANG	JUNE 23RD – JUNE 25TH
8	KURJEY TSHECHU	BUMTHANG	JUNE 25th
9	THIMPHU DRUPCHEN	THIMPHU	SEPT 16TH –SEPT 20TH
10	WANGDI TSHECHU	WANGDI PHODRANG	SEPT 20th –SEPT 22ND
11	THIMPHU TSHECHU	THIMPHU	SEPT 21ST –SEPT 23RD
12	TAMSHINGPHALA CHOEPA	BUMTHANG	SEPT 21ST – SEPT 23RD
13	TANGBI MANI	BUMTHANG	SEPT 25TH –SEPT 27TH
14	JAMBAY LAKHANG DRUP	BUMTHANG	OCT 25TH – OCT 29TH
15	PAKER TSHECHU	BUMTHANG	OCT 26TH – OCT 28TH
16	MONGAR TSHECHU	MONGAR	NOV 16TH – NOV 19TH
17	PEMAGATSEL TSHECHU	PEMAGATSEL	NOV 16TH – NOV 19TH
18	TRASHIGANG TSHECHU	TRASHIGANG	NOV 17TH – NOV 20TH
19	NALAKHAR TSHECHU	BUMTHANG	NOV 24TH – NOV 26TH
20	TRONGSA TSHECHU	TRONGSA	DEC 18TH – DEC 20TH
21	LHUNTSE TSHECHU	LHUNTSE	DEC 18TH – DEC 20TH

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