The sons of the Thunder Dragon

The sons of the Thunder Dragon

Organized to take place each year during the first month of thelunar year, the festival of Punakha commemorates the gloriousvictory of the Bhutanese over the Tibetans and renews faith inthe protective divinities of the country, guarantors of national unity.

A Photo story by Christophe Boisvieux / LightMediation

2590-23: MONKS UNROLLING A HUGE THANGKA OR THONGDREL REPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

Contact - Thierry Tinacci - Agence Photo LightMediation +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 [email protected]

2590-01: PUNAKHA DZONG AND MO CHHU RIVER, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN 2590-02: MONKS GETTING DRESSED FOR THE GREAT PROCESSION OR SERDA, PUNAKHADZONG, BHUTAN

2590-03: PAZAPS REPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS, PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA,BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OF THE

2590-04: PAZAPS REPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS, PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA,BHUTAN . THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OF THE

2590-05: HIS MAJESTY JIGME KHESAR NAMGYEL WANGCHUCK, KING OF BHUTAN, VISITINGPUNAKHA DZONG DURING THE SERDA FESTIVAL, BHUTAN

2590-06: THE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS IN THE GREAT COURTYARD OF THE MONASTERY,PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA

2590-07: PAZAPS REPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS, PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA,BHUTAN . THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OF THE

2590-08: WAR DANCE OF THE PAZAPS WHO REPRESENT THE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS,PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA

2590-38: BLACK HAT DANCE, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN



2590-11: DEPARTURE OF THE PAZAPS REPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS,PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA

2590-12: DEPARTURE OF THE GENERALS OF THE SHABDRUNG'S ARMY, PUNAKHA SERDA,PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY

2590-13: PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATING THE VICTORY OF THEBHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETAN INVADERS IN 1639, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-14: PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATING THE VICTORY OF THEBHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETAN INVADERS IN 1639, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-15: CEREMONY DEDICATED TO THE SUB SURFACE SPIRITS, PUNAKHA SERDA, PUNAKHA,BHUTAN . THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OF THE

2590-16: THROWING OF ORANGE SKINS INTO THE RIVER SYMBOLIZING THE RELICS COVETEDBY THE TIBETAN INVADERS, PUNAKHA SERDA, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA

2590-40: DANCE OF THE GING WITH DRUMS, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THIS DANCE IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE HEAVENLY PARADISE OF PADMASAMBHAVA ASSEEN BY PEMA LINGPA, (1450-1521) PATRON SAINT OF BHUTAN AND "TREASURE FINDER"

2590-17: YOUNG NOVICES WATCHING THE ORANGE SKINS THROWN INTO THE RIVER WHICHSYMBOLIZE THE RELICS COVETED BY THE TIBETAN INVADERS, PUNAKHA SERDA, PUNAKHA,

2590-18: TRIUMPH OF THE GENERALS OF THE SHABDRUNG'S ARMY, PUNAKHA SERDA,PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY

2590-19: TRIUMPH OF THE GENERALS OF THE SHABDRUNG'S ARMY, PUNAKHA SERDA,PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY

2590-20: YOUNG MEN WATCHING THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION, PUNAKHA DZONG, BHUTAN. THEPUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OF THE BHUTANESE OVER

2590-21: VICTORY DANCE OF THE PAZAPS REPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS,PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDA

2590-22: DISTRIBUTION OF MARCHANG, BARLEY WINE, TO THE PAZAPS, PUNAKHA SERDA, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-23: MONKS UNROLLING A HUGE THANGKA OR THONGDREL REPRESENTING THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-24: MONKS UNROLLING A HUGE THANGKA OR THONGDREL REPRESENTING THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-25: HUGE THANGKA OR THONGDREL REPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'SGREATEST RULER, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-26: NUN IN PRAYER IN FRONT OF A HUGE THANGKA OR THONGDREL REPRESENTING THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-27: PILGRIMS QUEUEING FOR BLESSINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF A HUGE THANGKA ORTHONGDREL, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE MERE VISION OF A

2590-28: PILGRIMS AT THE BOTTOM OF A HUGE THANGKA OR THONGDREL, PUNAKHA TSECHU(FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE MERE VISION OF A SUCH A HOLY THANGKA IS SUPPOSED

2590-29: PAZAPS WATCHING THE TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THE PAZAPSREPRESENT THE ARMY OF THE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER WHO UNIFIED THE

2590-30: DANCE OF THE FOUR STAGS (SHAZAM), PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA,BHUTAN

2590-31: MONKS WATCHING THE TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN 2590-32: REPRESENTATION OF THE HEROIC DEEDS OF THE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATESTRULER WHO UNIFIED THE COUNTRY IN THE 1630S, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA,

2590-31: MONKS WATCHING THE TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-33: BLACK HAT DANCE, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN 2590-34: BLACK HAT DANCE, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN



2590-39: DANCE OF THE GING WITH SWORDS, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA,BHUTAN. THIS DANCE IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE HEAVENLY PARADISE OF

2590-40: DANCE OF THE GING WITH DRUMS, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN.THIS DANCE IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE HEAVENLY PARADISE OF

2590-22: DISTRIBUTION OF MARCHANG, BARLEY WINE, TO THE PAZAPS, PUNAKHA SERDA, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-41: DANCE OF THE GING WITH SWORDS, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA,BHUTAN. THIS DANCE IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE HEAVENLY PARADISE OF

2590-42: DANCE OF THE STAG AND THE HOUNDS (SHAWO SHACHI), PUNAKHA TSECHU(FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-43: ATSARAS (CLOWNS) ENTERTAINING THE AUDIENCE WITH A WOODEN PHALLUS,PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-44: ATSARAS (CLOWNS) ENTERTAINING THE AUDIENCE BETWEEN THE DANCES,PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

Punakha : thetriumph of thesons of theThunderDragon

Four by four, dressed in red and black andwith saber in hand, soldiers from anotherepoch march down the vertiginous stepsof the Punakha dzong. Amidst the shoutsand firecrackers, they cleave their waythrough the crowd and gallop into battleagainst an imaginary enemy, incarnatingthe army of Bhutan's founding fathercombating the Tibetan invaders. At thestart of the year 1639, an army comingfrom Tibet had crossed the passes, stillcovered in snow, to seize by force in thisvery spot the most precious of relics, theRanjung Karsapani, which NgawangNamgyal, the spiritual and temporal leaderof Bhutan, had brought back from Tibet.This statue of the Buddha of Compassionhad, according to tradition, miraculouslyemerged from one of the vertebra ofTsangpa Gyare, the founder of theDrukpas' religious school, at the time ofhis cremation. By taking possession of thisrelic, the attackers hoped to establish theirpower over the Drukpas community,legatees to the line of the thunder dragon(Druk means dragon in Tibetan), partisansof an austere mysticism inherited from thepractices and teachings of the grand yogiMilarepa. But their attempt ended in abitter defeat before Ngawang Namgyal'sstratagem. Using a secret door of the

fortress out of sight of the Tibetans, hecreated the illusion of an uninterruptedparade of soldiers to fool the enemy. Hethen organized a big procession outsidethe walls in the direction of the Mo ChuRiver, into which he threw a casketsupposed to contain the coveted relic.Fooled by this stratagem, the attackers,regrouped on the other side of the river,tried in vain to recuperate it. Many ofthem, hampered by their heavy armour,drowned in the river and the rest of thetroop, greatly thwarted, finally made thedecision to pack up and go.

Each year, the Bhutanese commemoratethis glorious episode in their history with abig festival. During two weeks, the greatdzong or monastery fortress of Punakhaplays host to an uninterrupted successionof prayers, ceremonies and dances. Thelast three days constitute the grand finaleand bring together the faithful from acrossthe country, dressed in their richest attire.The young king himself, accompanied bya few ministers, sometimes comes inperson to watch the Serda, the greatprocession. On the morning of the 11th day, 136soldiers or pazaps, armed with bows,swords and shields line up in parallel rowsin the courtyard of the dzong. One by one,they execute while singing a war dance infront of the Je khenpo, the highest spiritualauthority in the country, before rushing,saber unsheathed, out of the dzong. Atthe bottom of the steps, the generals,recognizable by the multicolored ribbonsthat cross their chests, mount their horses,which just as quickly depart at a gallop inthe direction of the four points of thecompass. The great procession can thenstart. To the sound of the horns, oboesand drums, the monks in their red caps,dressed in their most beautiful ceremonialrobes, leave the monastery to head

towards the river. Along the way, theybless the crowd of faithful followersamassed on both sides of the cortègebristling with banners and oriflammes,similar to a never-ending garland of colors.Facing the roaring waters of the Mo Churiver, the Je khenpo finally stops to carryout the same ceremony as his long agopredecessor. Encircled by clouds ofincense, he throws into the water ahandful of orange peels symbolizing theprecious relic, a gesture that is also anoffering to the Lu, the spirits that livebeneath the earth and the water. Back atthe monastery, the pazaps dance a victoryfarandole before devoting themselves, inan indescribable crush, to merry libationsaround an immense bronze cauldron filledto the brim with barley alcohol. As alwaysin Bhutan, the profane goes well with thesacred! The festival, which nourishesreligious feeling and allows for the gainingof merits, is also the occasion to be seen,to flirt and to drink, all in a good-naturedambience. The last two days are devoted toceremonies and dances in honour ofMahakala, the patron deity of Bhutan, thesame one who in the past aided inrepelling the invaders. The day after theprocession, the monks unroll, in the firstlight of dawn, an immense thangkarepresenting Ngawang Namgyal, betterknown here under his ceremonial title ofShabdrung, which literally means ""atwhose feet one submits". The simple sightof this extraordinary 30 meter highbrocade banner is supposed to cleansethe faithful of their past sins and lead themto awakening! For several hours, theycrowd under its adorned folds in a long,disciplined line to receive, from as near aspossible, this blessing from above. As theyrefold the thangka to protect it from therays of the rising sun, the first dancingmonks appear. They wear deer masks, a

two-edged sword and yellow silk skirts andexecute a syncopated dance, pepperedwith spectacular leaps. They incarnate themounts of the god of the wind subjugatedby Guru Rinpoche, the great master andmagician at the origins of the conversionof Tibet to Buddhism. The courtyard of themonastery has transformed itself into atheater where the eternal combat betweengood and evil, the hero and the demon isacted out. A theater piece dedicated toenlightening souls and banishing evilforces, it reminds us a bit of the "mysteryplays" acted out in the Middle Ages on thechurch squares. Throughout the afternoon and thefollowing day, a dozen or so sumptuousdances follow, to the rhythm of thecymbals and telescopic horns. Amongstthem, the dance of the Black Hats iswithout doubt the most impressive. Itcommemorates the assassination in 842of the Tibetan tyrant Langdarma, a greatdestructive enemy of Buddhism, by amonk who had hidden his bow and arrowsin the wide sleeves of his robe. Thedancers wear a helmet with golden finstopped by a death's head and a crest ofpeacock feathers, radiant brocade stolesand aprons ornamented with the effigy ofMahakala. Their long robes unfurling likecorollas in a rustling of silk, they twirlaround the spectators like amazingtropical butterflies. Nothing is left toimprovisation: their steps form a mandalaand present in the space around them thetriumph of Buddhism over the evil spirits.Between dances, the Atsaras play theroles of buffoons and clowns. Decked outin irresistibly jovial masks, they talkcrudely, give themselves over totomfoolery and shake up taboos. Theypoint wooden phalluses in the direction ofthe girls in the audience and wildlydistribute condoms to a storm of laughter.The frank gaiety of the spectators is

contagious and grants the wish of the monks that wisdom can be reachedas much through laughter as through piety!

CAPTION BOX: THE SHABDRUNG, FATHER OF THE BHUTANESESTATE

Running away from the Ralung monastery in the south of Tibet, theShabdrung Ngawang Namgyal arrived in Bhutan in 1616. Head of theschool of the Drukpas and recognized as the incarnation of the greatreligious chief Pema Karpo, his legitimacy was at the time contested by theprince of the Tibetan province of Tsang, who threatened his life. Wellwelcomed in Bhutan, he first unified the valleys in the west, beforestretching his power to the center and the east of the country. He fought theother religious schools, had monasteries built and promulgated a legislativecode. He organized the civil administration, directed by a head of temporalaffairs, the Desi, and founded a State clergy governed by a religious chief,the Je Khenpo. His ambition to unite central and east Bhutan would befulfilled five years after his death in 1656 and would more or less give thecountry the shape we know today.

THE TIMID ADVENT OF DEMOCRACY

On March 24, 2008, the general elections saw the victory of the unified partyof Bhutan, the Bhutan Peace And Prosperity Party, and put an end to acentury of absolute monarchy. Bhutan had begun its march towardsdemocracy in 2001 at the instigation of the former king Jigme SingyeWangchuck who had delegated a part of his powers to a council of ministersand demanded the drawing up of a new constitution for 2008. Littleconvinced of the benefits of a sharing of power, the Bhutanese did not atfirst show great enthusiasm for these elections. If they finally did vote enmasse, they have also reaffirmed their attachment to their king, guarantor ofthe "gross national happiness", who will continue to have strong influence

over the management of the country.

Captions

2590-03-04: PAZAPS REPRESENTINGTHE SHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS,PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA,BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSIONOR SERDA COMMEMORATES THEVICTORY OF THE BHUTANESE OVERTHE TIBETAN INVADERS IN 1639. THE136 PAZAP REPRESENT THE ARMY OFTHE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'SGREATEST RULER WHO UNIFIED THECOUNTRY IN THE 1630S.

2590-06: THE SHABDRUNG'SSOLDIERS IN THE GREATCOURTYARD OF THE MONASTERY,PUNAKHA DZONG, PUNAKHA,BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSIONOR SERDA COMMEMORATES THEVICTORY OF THE BHUTANESE OVERTHE TIBETAN INVADERS IN 1639. THE136 PAZAP REPRESENT THE ARMY OFTHE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'SGREATEST RULER WHO UNIFIED THECOUNTRY IN THE 1630S.

2590-07: PAZAPS REPRESENTING THESHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS, PUNAKHADZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THEPUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDACOMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OFTHE BHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETANINVADERS IN 1639. THE 136 PAZAPREPRESENT THE ARMY OF THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATESTRULER WHO UNIFIED THE COUNTRYIN THE 1630S.

2590-08: WAR DANCE OF THE PAZAPSWHO REPRESENT THE SHABDRUNG'SSOLDIERS, PUNAKHA DZONG,PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THE PUNAKHAPROCESSION OR SERDA

COMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OFTHE BHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETANINVADERS IN 1639. THE 136 PAZAPREPRESENT THE ARMY OF THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATESTRULER WHO UNIFIED THE COUNTRYIN THE 1630S.

2590-09-10: WAR DANCE OF THEPAZAPS WHO REPRESENT THESHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS, PUNAKHADZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THEPUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDACOMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OFTHE BHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETANINVADERS IN 1639. THE 136 PAZAPREPRESENT THE ARMY OF THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATESTRULER WHO UNIFIED THE COUNTRYIN THE 1630S.

2590-11-12: DEPARTURE OF THEPAZAPS REPRESENTING THESHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS, PUNAKHADZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN . THEPUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDACOMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OFTHE BHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETANINVADERS IN 1639. THE 136 PAZAPREPRESENT THE ARMY OF THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATESTRULER WHO UNIFIED THE COUNTRYIN THE 1630S.

2590-15: CEREMONY DEDICATED TOTHE SUB SURFACE SPIRITS,PUNAKHA SERDA, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSION ORSERDA COMMEMORATES THEVICTORY OF THE BHUTANESE OVERTHE TIBETAN INVADERS IN 1639. THE136 PAZAP REPRESENT THE ARMY OFTHE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'SGREATEST RULER WHO UNIFIED THECOUNTRY IN THE 1630S.

2590-16: THROWING OF ORANGESKINS INTO THE RIVER SYMBOLIZINGTHE RELICS COVETED BY THETIBETAN INVADERS, PUNAKHASERDA, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THEPUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDACOMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OFTHE BHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETANINVADERS IN 1639.

2590-17: YOUNG NOVICES WATCHINGTHE ORANGE SKINS THROWN INTOTHE RIVER WHICH SYMBOLIZE THERELICS COVETED BY THE TIBETANINVADERS, PUNAKHA SERDA,PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-18-19: TRIUMPH OF THEGENERALS OF THE SHABDRUNG'SARMY, PUNAKHA SERDA, PUNAKHA,BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHA PROCESSIONOR SERDA COMMEMORATES THEVICTORY OF THE BHUTANESE OVERTHE TIBETAN INVADERS IN 1639DURING THE REIGN OF THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATESTRULER

2590-20: YOUNG MEN WATCHING THEPUNAKHA PROCESSION, PUNAKHADZONG, BHUTAN. THE PUNAKHAPROCESSION OR SERDACOMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OFTHE BHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETANINVADERS IN 1639 DURING THE REIGNOF THE SHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'SGREATEST RULER

2590-21: VICTORY DANCE OF THEPAZAPS REPRESENTING THESHABDRUNG'S SOLDIERS, PUNAKHADZONG, PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THEPUNAKHA PROCESSION OR SERDACOMMEMORATES THE VICTORY OFTHE BHUTANESE OVER THE TIBETANINVADERS IN 1639. THE 136 PAZAP

REPRESENT THE ARMY OF THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATESTRULER WHO UNIFIED THE COUNTRYIN THE 1630S.

2590-23-24: MONKS UNROLLING AHUGE THANGKA OR THONGDRELREPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG,BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER,PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL),PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-26: NUN IN PRAYER IN FRONT OFA HUGE THANGKA OR THONGDRELREPRESENTING THE SHABDRUNG,BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER,PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL),PUNAKHA, BHUTAN

2590-27: PILGRIMS QUEUEING FORBLESSINGS AT THE BOTTOM OF AHUGE THANGKA OR THONGDREL,PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL),PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THE MERE VISIONOF A SUCH A HOLY THANGKA ISSUPPOSED TO WASH AWAY THE SINSOF A LIFETIME

2590-28: PILGRIMS AT THE BOTTOMOF A HUGE THANGKA ORTHONGDREL, PUNAKHA TSECHU(FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THEMERE VISION OF A SUCH A HOLYTHANGKA IS SUPPOSED TO WASHAWAY THE SINS OF A LIFETIME

2590-29: PAZAPS WATCHING THETSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA,BHUTAN . THE PAZAPS REPRESENTTHE ARMY OF THE SHABDRUNG,BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER WHOUNIFIED THE COUNTRY IN THE 1630S.

2590-32: REPRESENTATION OF THEHEROIC DEEDS OF THE SHABDRUNG,BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER WHO

2590-32: REPRESENTATION OF THE HEROIC DEEDS OF THESHABDRUNG, BHUTAN'S GREATEST RULER WHO UNIFIED THECOUNTRY IN THE 1630S, PUNAKHA TSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA,BHUTAN

2590-39-40-41: DANCE OF THE GING WITH SWORDS, PUNAKHATSECHU (FESTIVAL), PUNAKHA, BHUTAN. THIS DANCE IS A VISUALREPRESENTATION OF THE HEAVENLY PARADISE OFPADMASAMBHAVA AS SEEN BY PEMA LINGPA, (1450-1521) PATRONSAINT OF BHUTAN AND "TREASURE FINDER"

The sons of the Thunder Dragon

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