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THE DANCING MONKS OF BHUTAN – TAASA Review March 2009

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This article was originally found in the March 2009 edition of TAASA Review (Volume 18, Issue 1, Page 9).

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Tshering Tashi E very year, in the stone courtyards of temples and dzongs (fortified monasteries) across Bhutan, Buddhist monks dance to the rhythmic beat of cymbals, their monstrous masks in striking contrast to their colourful flowing robes of brocaded silk. The Dance of Death.

At a tsechu or religious festival in the Thimpu valley, central Bhutan, monks perform acrobatic dances relaying experiences of death.

Photo: Tshering Tashi 2006 The chams or sacred dances of Bhutan are spiritual energies manifested through the skill of the monks who perform them...