Tamshing Phala Choepa - 12 Days

Tamshing Phala Choepa is a festival, which is held at Tamshing monastery in Bumthang, and which is headed by Ringpoche, the 11th incarnation of Pema Lingpa. Tamshing monastery belongs to the Nyingma sect Buddhism. Characterized by mask dance, cultural festivities, ’the dance of the stag and the hunter’ and ‘the dance of three kinds of gings,’ Tamshing Phala Choepa as the festival significantly impacts you. And the dance also brings good luck and happiness to all the attendees, as well as, removes their misfortunes.

Before attending Tamshing Phala Choepa, you visit the House of Incense and the House of Paper. You then visit the Memorial Chorten, built in the memory of the third King of Bhutan. Also, you visit the “Textile Museum” and the National Library, which exhibits the ancient manuscripts and scrolls of Bhutan. You then drive to the glacial valley of Phobjikha. The slope is quiet and remote. There is a monastery, which was established in the 17th century. In addition to this, the slope is also a winter home to the black necked cranes.

As you head off further, you come across 4 valleys, such as Chumey, Choekhor, Tang, and Ura. The heights of these valleys vary from 2,600 m to 4,000 m. You see other valleys as well as, the beautiful Buddhist monasteries. Inside the monasteries, there are ancient religious paintings of 1000 Buddhas and 21 Taras. After visiting the monastery, you visit Jambay Lhakhang, one of the oldest monasteries of Bhutan, and then you visit Me -Bar Tsho, a burning lake. You also visit the Trongsa Dzong, which is the biggest fortresses of Bhutan, and which is decorated with magnificent architecture. The monuments that you visit before and after Tamshingphala Cheopa come under the category of ‘The Monuments of Significance.”