Religion - festival and Event Calendar in Bhutan

Religion: Bhutan is the only country in the world to retain the Tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism as its official religion. Mahayana Buddhism was the state religion, and Buddhists comprised about 70 percent of the population in the early 1990s. Although originating from Tibetan Buddhism, Bhutanese Buddhism differs significantly in its rituals, liturgy, and monastic organization.

The Buddhist faith continues as a fundamental role in the cultural, ethical and sociological development of Bhutan and its people. It permeates all strands of secular life, bringing with it a reverence for the land and its well being. The minority religion of Bhutan is Hinduism, whose adherents (those of Nepalese origin) officially constitute 28 percent of the population. An even smaller religious minority about 5 percent of the population in 1989 practice Islam

Festival: Festivals in Bhutan have reputations for being raucous, joyous affairs. The most popular for tourists are those held in Thimphu, Paro and Bumthang and are also the most easily accessible. They mark the busiest time of the year for the tourism industry. Religious festivals (Tsechu) are important events and celebrated throughout the kingdom of Bhutan. The tsechus are the most colorful event and all Bhutanese gathers and celebrate at every Dzongs (fortress), temples, and monasteries. All the districts, dzongs and a large number of villages in the east, hold annual tsechus, which attract people from far and wide.

The main purpose of these festivals is to ward off evil through music, dancing and rituals and to bring good fortune to the next year. Following are some of the most fascinating festivals you might be interested in participating in. If you are interested in any of these festivities and wish to attend them, we strongly suggest that you book your trip well in advance, as seats availability on Druk Air during these periods are limited.

Event Calendar : In almost every Dzong (monastic fortress) and monastery there is an annual traditional festival (in Bhutan these are called Tshechus). Tshechus usually take place on or around the 10th day of the month according to the lunar calendar. The normal duration for a tshechu is three days. Tourists are welcomed to tshechus under the provision that they act in an accordingly respectful manner. Due to the nature of the lunar calendar exact dates for tshechus vary from year to year.

The following table provides an annual overview for the most prominent festivals.
 

Please contact us for the precise dates and detailed information for the main festivals of the current year.