Jambay Lhakhang Drup
The Jambay Lhakhang Drup festival can be described as the most unique, exciting, cheerful and rather daunting. The festival is held in honor of Guru Rinpoche, the saint who introduced Buddhism in the 8th century and to commemorate its establishment during the 7th century. Together with the Kyichu Lhakhang temple in Paro, the Jambay Lhakhang temple is thought to be the first monastery in Bhutan built by King Songsten Gombo of Tibet. This festival has gained immense popularity amongst tourists owing to its uniqueness compared many other ones. Its highlight is the ‘Mewang” – the fire blessing ceremony and the ” Tercham” – a religious naked dance. During the fire blessing, locals run underneath a gigantic flaming gate made out of dry grasses with ambers and piles of burning grasses falling on their head. The other event “Tercham” (literally translated Dance of Treasure) is performed by naked dancers wearing facial masks. We mean completely naked. Locals believe that the Tercham can bless the infertile women with children, and is only performed in the night around a bonfire.A variety of traditional and mask dances each bearing significant importance follows after the main events and all these sacred dances are thought to be composed by Terton Pema Lingpa, the great treasure discoverer of the 15th century. The trip is also designed as a cultural goldmine combining attractions that are the best of Bhutan. It starts from the Paro valley and leads to the capital Thimphu, and continues laterally towards Phobjikha to reach the central heartlands of Trongsa and Bumthang.