What exactly is the Paro festival?
Every country has it’s own traditions and histories, most of which is celebrated under the sheets of a festival, for example, in India, we have Diwali or Holi and each one of us is full of spirit, love, and excitement when this is celebrated. Similarly, in Bhutan, we have the Paro festival, an annual festival celebrated during the month of March or April and has a duration of 3-4 days which is cherished by people belonging to all age groups.
Celebrated during the season of Spring, you can see both monks and the common men dressed up in vibrant, multicolored brocade costumes, mingling with each other, dancing & enjoying this day with full enthusiasm. The monks wear magnificent masks representing wrathful and peaceful deities and replay the scenes from legendary and historical anecdotes of Bhutan.
The Show Stealer
However, the four storey high and 350 years old Thankha is something that completely steals the show. It is a Buddhist religious scroll which has narratives from history, celebrating the high deeds of Guru Rimpoche who brought Tibetan Buddhism in the region of Bhutan.
Why should a traveller visit Bhutan during the Paro Festival?
The reason why Paro festival gets so talked about and should not be missed is because travellers experience a homely sense of hospitality and connectivity, and can understand the true culture and history of Bhutan.
Paro Festival 2017
This year, the Paro festival will be celebrated from 7th April-11th April 2017 and the rituals take place in the following manner:
Opening ceremony: On the first day of the festival all the rituals are held inside the courtyard of the famous fortress, Paro Dzong.
Rest of the Days: The rituals and the celebrations take place outside in an open ground.
Final day: The festivities conclude with the display of a giant Thongkha (religious picture) of Guru Rinpoche before dawn and blessings are provided to all the people present there.
The Glitz and Glamour
Many local people of the Paro region arrive at the venue to take part in the festivities. The children are dressed up in vibrant clothes and ladies get a chance to showcase their antique and prestigious jewelry collections.
Celebrating it their way.
Dancers dressed in fancy costumes perform several dances and drama. The public dances to the beats of trumpets, cymbals, flutes and some folk songs to demonstrate their triumph of good over evil. The men consume butter tea and strong barley alcohol during the celebrations.
The Paro Tsechu Festival is a wonderful time to visit Bhutan, experience its ancient culture, and get enthralled in the celebrations.
In case you want to make some last moment plans and travel to Bhutan for their Paro festival, why not click here. Once you get to experience this festival, you’ll love Paro even more than what Devdas did. Okay, Just Kidding.