Festivals
Bhutan is rich in cultural diversity and this richness is further enhanced by the wide variety of elaborate and colorful religious festivals that are celebrated throughout the country. While every village is known for their own unique festival, the annual Tshechu (literally Day Ten) festivals are most widely known.
In each district or dzongkhag of Bhutan on the tenth day of a particular month in the lunar calendar, these religious Bhutanese festivals are organized and attended by locals who believed all Bhutanese must attend at least once to attain blessings and deliver oneself away from past sins. They are usually held in accordance to significant events that had occurred in the life of the Second Buddha, the Indian/Pakistani Tantric master known as Guru Rinpoche or the Precious Gem.
Upon welcoming the Tshechu, the locals will dress in their finest clothes and congregate at neighbouring temples or monasteries where the festivities begin. Various mask dances and music will be performed for three days, along side with meals of local delicacies such as Ema Datshi (chili cheese stew), Momos (pork dumplings) and the traditional rice wine Ara. These lively and high-spirited occasions provide villagers a respite from their daily hard labor and an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends.