Festivals:
Festivals (Tshechus) are held in Bhutan throughout the year at different locations. These festivals are celebrations of faith, legends, myths and history of Bhutan in ancient rituals of colorful dance and music. The most popular for tourists are those held in Thimphu, Paro and Bumthang. They mark the busiest time of the year for tourism and reservations are difficult to come by. Festival time is one of the only periods during a year when tourists are permitted inside the courtyard of the dzongs. The dzongs come to life with colour, music and dancing as valley dwellers and townsfolk dress in their best clothes and join together to exorcise evil spirits and rejoice in a new harvest. Rare masked and sword dances and other rituals are performed in the dzong’s courtyards and temples. Each dance has its own significance and can be performed by monks or lay men dressed in bright costumes. Certain festivals end with the unveiling and worship of huge religious appliqués or T hongdrels. The moment of the unveiling is shrouded in secrecy and creates great excitement amongst all the participants.