The history of Tsechu, a kind of religious festival date back to the time when Padmasambhava, the great Nyingma scholar, visited Tibet and Bhutan in the 8th and 9th century. He used to convert opponents of Buddhism by performing rites, reciting mantras and finally performing a dance of subjugation to conquer local spirits and gods. He visited Bhutan to aid the dying king Sindhu Raja (the then king of Bumthang). Padmasambhava performed a series of such dances in the Bumthang valley to restore the health of the king. The grateful king helped spread Buddhism in Bhutan. Padmasambhava organized the first tshechu in Bumthang, where the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava being the human form) were presented through eight forms of dances. These became the kind of legacy in life of every Bhutanese to continue attending in such religious festivals.
We would like you to come and explore personally the festive events of various places of Bhutan.