All tshechus (festivals in Bhutan) are celebrated as religious festivals commemorating the deeds of Buddha, to honour Guru Rimpoche Padmasambhava who brought Buddhism to the country. Tshechu are important events and celebrated throughout the kingdom. The tshechus are the most colourful of all Bhutanese gatherings and celebrated in every Dzong (fortress). Local tshechu are celebrated in each district. In addition to tshechu, there are annual festivals which are celebrated with great fanfare traditional and colourful dances are performed by trained dancers and monks. The people dress in their finest clothes and jewelries, enjoy feasting, socialize and make merry. The popular tshechus are celebrated in Thimphu, Paro, Wangdue Phodrang, Trongsa, Bumthang, Mongar and Trashigang. Two of the most famous tshechus are held at Paro in the spring and at Thimpu in the autumn. These tshechus are celebrated for three to five days with great fanfare.

Most monasteries stage their own tsechu at different times of the year to honor Guru Rimpoche who brought Buddhism to the kingdom in the 8th century, there's a festival on practically every other week. A crowd of thousands, decksout in fine embroidered silk, watched as masked dancers whirl, leap and somersault monks dress as demons and demi-gods perform ritual dances, chants and lead the crowd in folk songs. Meanwhile mischievous atsara or clowns keep the crowds back with whips and wooden phalluses and teased and tickled unsuspecting spectators. On the last day, they unfurl the thongdrol, a sacred multicolored portrait of Guru Rimpoche that covers an entire wall outside the dzong. One glance at the tapestry is said to be enough to lead a true believer to enlightenment.

TENTATIVE FESTIVAL DATES FOR 2016

SN	FESTIVAL	PLACE	DATES
1	NOMAD FESTIVAL	MUMTHANG	23 FEBRUARY
2	PUNAKHA DRUBCHEN	PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA	14-16 FEBRUARY
3	PUNAKHA TSHECHU	PUNAKHA DZONG,PUNAKHA	17-19 FEBRUARY
4	THARPALING THONGDROL	THARPLING LHAKHANG,CHHUMI,BUMTHANG	22 FEBRUARY
5	CHHORTEN KORA	CHORTEN KORA,TRASHIYANGTSHE	22 FEBRUARY
6	TALO TSHECHU	TALO GONPO,PUNAKHA	16-18 MARCH
7	GOMPHU KORA	GOM KORA LAKHANG,TRASHIGANG	17-18 MARCH
8	GASA TSHECHU	GASA DZONG,GASA	14-17 MARCH
9	ZHEMGANG TSHECHU	ZHEMGANG DZONG,ZHEMGANG	16-18 MARCH
10	PARO TSHECHU	RINPONG DZONG,PARO	20-24 MARCH
11	RHODODENDRON FESTIVAL	LAMPERI BOTANICAL GARDEN, DOCHULA,THIMPU	18-20 APRIL
12	DAMKHAR TSHECHU	DAMKHAR,CHUMMI,BHUMTHANG	16-18 APRIL
13	URA YAKCHOE	URA LHAKHANG,BUMTHANG	18-23 APRIL
14	SAKTANG FESTIVAL	SAKTANG KHAKHANG, TRANSHIGANG	12-16 JUNE
15	NIMALUNG TSHECHU	NIMALUNG DRATSHANG,CHUMMI,BUMTHANG	13-15 JUNE
16	TRELDA TSHECHU	DRAMETSE, MONGAR	12-24 JUNE
17	WANGDUE TSHECHU	TENCHOLING ARMY GROUND,WANGDUEPHODRANG	09-11 SEPTEMBER
18	THIMPU TSHECHU	TASHI CHHODZONG,THIMPU	11-13 SEPTEMBER
19	GANGTEY TSHECHU	GANGTEY GONPA,PHOBJIKHA,WANGDUEPHODRANG	09-11 SEPTEMBER
20	JAKAR TSHECHU	JAKAR DZONG,BUMTHANG	06-10 NOVEMBER
21	TRONGSA TSHECHU	TRONGSA DZONG,TRONGSA	08-10 DECEMBER
22	LHUENTSE TSHECHU	LHUENTSE DZONG, LHUENTSE	07-11 DECEMBER