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Wangdu Tshechu is one of the major festivals of Bhutan. Tshechu is the name of a festival which is held in honor of Guru Padsambhava which implies “one who was born of lotus”. He was the saint whose contribution effected tremendously in the spreading of Tantric Buddhism in the domains of the Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, etc. Tshechu is, thus, held around the year on the 10th day of each month where Guru Padsambhava is memorialised through each of the episode of his biography.
The Tshechu which is held in Wangdu is called Wangdu Tshechu. The festival has various sequence of dances, having their own significance.Day one presents the dances of Monks with typical dresses of the dance as of brocade long dress and buffalo masks.This dance is the dance of Death implying his protection of the three worlds with his buffalo face and his blessings on them before they arrive on the God of wisdom's earth. There are also several types of dances which include dance of the Four stag, 21 Black Hats with Drums, and Three kinds of Ging.
Day two of Wangdu Tshechu consists of the Dance of the Terrifying Deities. Sacrificial killing being the essence, the dance represents those who are unable to follow Buddha's peaceful way are liberated by death. It comprises Dance of the Rakshas or the Judgement of Death, the Drums from Drumtse and of the Stag and the Hounds. Day three represents a massive wall-hanging of the eight reflections of Guru Rimpoche, known as 'Thongdrol'. The dances are that of Dance with Guitar, Dance of the Heroes, Dance of the Lords of the Cremation Grounds, interpreting the duties of the the sacred deities who had taken oaths to protect the religion. The 3rd day of Wangdu Tshechu also has the Dance of the Ging and Tsholing. Thus, dances with masks are the part and parcel of Tshechu and Wangdu Tshechu, comprising various types of dances and their respective significances.
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