Additional Physical Form: For wide shot version, see: *MGZIDF 663A.
Content: Paro Tsechu Programme Day Five: (Outside the Dzong) Thongdrol Jyekha and Shugdrel Ceremony: Pa Cham - Dance of the Heroes ; Ging Tang Tsholing - Dance of the Ging and Tsholing ; Guru Tshengye - The Eight Manifestations of Guru Tshengye ; Rig Nga Chudru Nga-Chui Cham - Dance of the Sixteen Fairies ; Chhoe Zhey - Religious Song (NB: not all the dances were filmed on this day).
Venue: Videotaped in performance at the Paro Dzong, in Paro, Bhutan (to the right of the main temple - slightly elevated - at a diagonal to the Thongdrel), on Mar. 25, 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. 30 min.) : sound, color

Abstract

In the early morning, the Great Thangka (Thongdrol) is displayed to the crowds of believers, and the Shugdrel Ceremony is performed. The word thongdrol means liberation by sight implying that the simple act of viewing the gigantic appliqued tapestry that is the Thongdrol brings about the liberation of the individual spectator from the karmic rounds. This is a medley of different shots of the Thongdrel, monks and crowds and shows the Thongdrel being brought down and wrapped for storage for another year. The highlight of the festival is the unrolling of the Thongdrol of Guru Rinpoche on the last day. This huge embroidered tapestry, is shown only on this one day each year, is not allowed to be struck by the direct rays of the sun. It is unfurled at around 3:00 in the morning and rolled back up by 7:30. The Thongdrol and, in fact, the entire tsechu celebrates the teachings and events in the life of Guru Rinpoche (in India: Padmasambhava). Although Buddhism had come to Bhutan before Guru Rinpoche's visit in 746, his missionary work throughout the Himalayan kingdoms did much to popularize and spread the religion of Buddhism, and, in particular, the Nyingmapa teachings (of the so-called red hat sect).

Identifiers

NYPL Catalog ID (bnumber): b19887313
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 3ba062c0-e7f0-0130-4a5a-3c075448cc4b

Access

Core of Culture

Rights

This item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Type Of Resource

Moving Image

Cite this item

MLA format

Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. "Thongdrol Jyekha and Zhugdrel, Paro Tsechu, Day Five: Outside the Dzong [Close shot]" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 2005. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/3ba062c0-e7f0-0130-4a5a-3c075448cc4b

APA format

Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. (2005). Thongdrol Jyekha and Zhugdrel, Paro Tsechu, Day Five: Outside the Dzong [Close shot] Retrieved from https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/3ba062c0-e7f0-0130-4a5a-3c075448cc4b

Chicago/Turabian Format

Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library. "Thongdrol Jyekha and Zhugdrel, Paro Tsechu, Day Five: Outside the Dzong [Close shot]" New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed December 7, 2025. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/3ba062c0-e7f0-0130-4a5a-3c075448cc4b

Wikipedia citation

<ref name=NYPL>{{cite web | url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/3ba062c0-e7f0-0130-4a5a-3c075448cc4b | title= (moving image) Thongdrol Jyekha and Zhugdrel, Paro Tsechu, Day Five: Outside the Dzong [Close shot] (2005) | author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library | accessdate=December 7, 2025 | publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}</ref>