Bhutan - Lindsay Brown [42]
DRANYEO CHAM (DANCE WITH THE DRANYEN)
This dance celebrates the diffusion of the Drukpa lineage in Bhutan by the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dancers carry swords and wear a circular headdress, felt boots and heavy woollen clothes. One dancer carries a dranyen, a string instrument similar to a guitar.
SHA NA CHAM (BLACK HAT DANCE)
This dance, on one level, commemorates the killing of the anti-Buddhist Tibetan king, Langdarma in 842 by the Buddhist monk, Pelkyi Dorji. It also represents the transformation of the dancers into powerful tantric yogis, who take possession of the dancing area and drive out all evil spirits as they stamp the ground.
PHOLAY MOLAY (DANCE OF THE NOBLEMEN AND LADIES)
This is less a dance than a crude play about the two princesses left with an old couple by two princes who leave for war. The two princesses and an old woman are corrupted by some atsaras (clowns). On their return, the princes are furious and punish the women by cutting off their noses. Eventually, everybody is reconciled and the princes marry the princesses.
DRAMETSI NGA CHAM (DANCE OF THE DRAMETSI DRUMMERS)
Based on a vision by Kunga Gyeltshen, the son of Pema Lingpa, this dance depicts 100 peaceful and wrathful deities. The dancers wear animal masks and knee-length yellow skirts, and carry a large hand drum in their left hand and a drumstick in their right.
DUNGTAM (DANCE OF THE WRATHFUL DEITIES)
In this dance, the deities are the entourage of one of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, Dorji Drolo. Dorji Drolo and his entourage are armed with phurba (special daggers) which execute and thereby redeem an evil spirit (represented by a small mannequin). This represents Buddhist teachings on the liberation of consciousness from the body.
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For a blend of traditional and modern music, look out for the beautiful recording of chants by Lama Gyurme and Jean-Philippe Rykiel, The Lama’s Chants – Songs of Awakening (Sony, 1994) and Rain of Blessings (Real World Records, 2000).
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RAKSHA MANGCHAM (DANCE OF THE RAKSHAS AND THE JUDGEMENT OF THE DEAD)
This is one of the highlights of the tshechu. It represents a spiritual drama as two newly deceased men are brought before the Lord of the Underworld, represented by a large mannequin surrounded by an entourage of raksha (a figure or spirit of the underworld). The first to be judged is a sinner, dressed in black. After hearing from Black Demon and White God, the prosecution and defence, his sins outweigh his good actions and he is dragged to the hell realms. The second figure is dressed in white; again the Lord of the Underworld hears about his good and bad actions, and he is found to be virtuous. After a brief attempt by Black Demon to grab the virtuous man, he is led to the pure lands.
GURU TSHENGAY (THE EIGHT MANIFESTATIONS OF GURU RINPOCHE)
The eight manifestations are different forms of Guru Rinpoche, who is accompanied by his two consorts, Yeshe Tshogyel (on his right) and Mandarava (on his left). This is both a dance and a drama and starts with Dorji Drolo entering the dance area, followed by a long procession with the eight manifestations. For more on the eight manifestations, Click here.
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Zangtho Pelri (Tashi Nyencha, 2000), available in Bhutan, has a good selection of traditional songs.
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CHHOESHEY (RELIGIOUS SONG)
This commemorates the opening of the eastern gate to the pilgrimage site at Tsari in Tibet by Tsangpa Gyarey, the founder of the Drukpa Kagyu.
Folk dances are performed in schools, villages and households, as well as by professional dancers during breaks in the tshechu performance. The dancers form a circle or a line and move in an intricate series of steps accompanied by graceful arm movements. One person may lead the singing, with the other dancers picking up