Tum Ngam, Paro Tsechu, Day Three: Outside the Dzong [Wide shot]

Item data

Title

Tum Ngam, Paro Tsechu, Day Three: Outside the Dzong [Wide shot]

Collection

Bhutan Dance Project, Core of Culture

Names

Core of Culture (Organization) (Producer)
Core of Culture (Organization) (Donor)

Date / Origin

Date Created: 2005

Library Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Shelf locator: *MGZIDF 815A

Subjects

Dance -- Bhutan
Folk dancing -- Bhutan
Dance -- Religious aspects -- Buddhism
Rites & ceremonies -- Bhutan
Buddhist demonology -- Bhutan
Masks -- Bhutan
Dzongs -- Bhutan -- Paro (District)
Paro (Bhutan : District)
Festivals -- Bhutan
Ritual and ceremonial dancing -- Bhutan
Spirit dances -- Bhutan
Mask dances -- Bhutan

Genres

Filmed Dance
Filmed Performances

Notes

Additional Physical Form: For close shot version, see: *MGZIDF 815B.
Content: Paro Tsechu Programme Day Three: (Outside the Dzong): Durdag - Lords of the Charnel Grounds ; Tum Ngam - Dance of the Terrifying Deities ; Gyuan Drug Pawo - Dance of the Heroes with six kinds of ornaments ; Kye Cham - Accompaniment Dance ; Pholey Moley - Dance of the Noblemen and the Ladies ; Shawa Shachi - Dance of the Stag and the Hounds (Part II) (NB: not all the dances were filmed on this day).
Venue: Videotaped in performance at the outer courtyard, Paro Dzong, in Paro, Bhutan (looking along the diagonal from upper level), on Mar. 23, 2005.
Acquisition: Gift; Core of Culture. NN-PD
Biographical/Historical: The annual Paro Tshechu is held from the 9th till the 15th of the 2nd month every year. It was first introduced by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye in 1687, while the tshechu was initially held in the dzong, after the reconstruction in 1906 it was held outside. The highlight of the tshechu is the Thongdol which is believed to deliver from all sins. The Thongdol that was saved from the fire of 1906 was built by Lama Nawang Rabgay and is considered one of the oldest in Bhutan. It was slightly renovated by the government about twenty years ago. The material for the Thongdol was brought from Lhasa in Tibet.
Biographical/Historical: The history of Ringpung Dzong (Palace of the heap of jewels) or Paro Dzong: The construction of the Paro Dzong began in 1644 on the order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of modern day Bhutan. Unlike most of the other dzongs in Bhutan, it survived the massive 1897 earthquake although it was damaged by fire in 1906.
Biographical/Historical: Paro Tshechu is held from the 11th to 15th day of the 2nd month of the Bhutanese calendar every year. Actually, the Tshechu begins with a chamjug or rehearsal day on the 10th day of the 2nd month, and ends on the 16th day of the 2nd month with a day s dances at Dzongdrakha monastery above Bondey.

Physical Description

Extent: 1 video file (ca. 124 min.) : sound, color

Abstract

Tum Ngam - wrathful Deity - the main character in this dramatic subjugation dance is Pema Bazha or Dorje Drolo, one of the Wrathful manifestations of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava). This spectacular and dramatic dance has a deeply symbolic interpretation. Dramatically speaking a ritual sacrificial killing is performed during the dance. Dorje Drolo and his retinue of fierce deities capture any evil spirits in the center of their circle, forcing them to take shelter in a ritual figure or linga. Once this is done, the champoen, or main dancer, wields the phurba, or ritual dagger,to destroy the evil spirits that have been captured - thus ridding the place of their influence. Tum Ngam is also known as the Dance of the Terrifying Deities tum meaning wrathful and ngam denoting a state of wrathful frenzy. This cham is a fine example of a subjugation dance , a ritual during which any evil influences or spirits in the area are forced out into the open before being herded together by the powerful deities of the dance. Once surrounded, the malevolent spirits take shelter, for their own safety, in a linga (a ritual effigy, most often made of flour and butter) in the center of the circle. There, trapped within a triangular vessel from which they cannot escape, the evil spirits are then ritually destroyed, together with the linga , by the phurba (sacred dagger) wielded by the champoen or principal dancer. The champoen, who leads the dance, represents one of the eight forms of Padmasambhava, Dorje Drolo, a particularly wrathful manifestation of the Great Guru who is of especial significance to the Bhutanese people. Tradition has it that Padmasambhava assumed this wrathful form as he arrived at Tagtsang (Tiger's Lair) a cave on a cliff high above Paro, in Bhutan. Guru had flown to Tagtsang from Tibet, riding on the back of one of his consorts who had transformed herself into a flying tigress. Whilst there, he fiercely subdued all the local gods and demons of Tibet, the Himalaya and India, forcing them to pay allegiance to him and to become guardians and defenders of his treasure teachings. The highly-charged movements of this energetic dance re-enact and remember the Great Teacher's subjugation of all enemies of Buddhism who oppose, or stand in the way of the teachings. It is considered highly auspicious to witness this exciting and dynamic dance. In ridding the area of maleficent influences Guru Dorje Drolo and his retinue of fierce deities dance to bring peace and harmony where disorder and discord had ruled and take their leave, showering blessings upon the place. This dance was later analysed, section by section, with a single monk demonstrating each step in sequence: cf the later Core of Culture tapes showing the more detailed analysis.

Identifiers

NYPL Catalog ID (bnumber): b19887284
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 16894ce0-e7f0-0130-394a-3c075448cc4b

Access

Core of Culture

Rights

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Type Of Resource

Moving Image

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