TitleDrel Cham, Thangbi Mani, Day One: Chamjug, Rehearsal [Close shot]
Additional title: Wrathful Dance
NamesCore of Culture (Organization) (Producer)Core of Culture (Organization) (Donor)
CollectionBhutan Dance Project, Core of Culture
Dates / OriginDate Created: 2005
Library locationsJerome Robbins Dance DivisionShelf locator: *MGZIDF 721B
TopicsDance -- BhutanFolk dancing -- BhutanDance -- Religious aspects -- BuddhismRites & ceremonies -- BhutanMasks -- BhutanFestivals -- BhutanDzongs -- Bhutan -- Bumthang (District)Bumthang (Bhutan : District)
GenresFilmed danceFilmed performances
NotesPerformers: There are only eight dancers who perform all the dances during the three days of the entire festival.Content: Thangbi Mani (Day One, Sept. 17, 2005 - Chamjug Rehearsal): Drel Cham - Wrathful Dance ; Zhauli Cham (Nyulemai Cham) - The Dance of the Evil Spirit ; Gonbo Bernag Ter Cham (Ging Cham) - Treasure Dance of the Black-Coated Mahakala ; Jin Sek - Fire Ritual ; Shazam - Dance of the Four Stags.Biographical/historical: The Chamjug started in the evening - and took place almost entirely without any lights. We therefore didn't use lights to illuminate the arena - as this would have been invasive. The resulting picture quality was very low however, with the exception of some of the scenes during the Jin Sek - Ritual Fire Dance.Venue: Videotaped in performance at the front courtyard of the Thangbi Lhakhang/Lhendrup Chhoeling Monastery (camera c - at ground level diagonally across the courtyard), in Bumthang, on Sept. 17, 2005.Acquisition: Gift; Core of Culture. NN-PDBiographical/historical: The Thangbi festival held at Thangbi Lhakhang was founded in 1470 by the fourth Zhamarpa of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism. Located in the north of Choekkhor valley, it takes about 30 minutes walk from the road through the fields of buckwheat to reach the Temple. A small village festival held annually after the harvest of Potato and buckwheat to be thankful for the good harvest. It is also the time to celebrate and to pray that all sentient beings are blessed by invoking the deities through the ritual dances that are performed.Biographical/historical: The fourth Zhamar Rinpoche of the Karmapa School came to Bumthang from Tibet in the 15th Century in order to establish a monastery and in 1470 he founded Thangbi Lhakhang, located in the middle of a wide fertile plateau overlooking the river. Following a quarrel with Pema Lingpa, Zhamar Rinpoche had to leave Thangbi. The iron curtain hanging in the entrance is said to have been forged by Pema Lingpa himself, who took over the monastery.
Physical DescriptionBorn digitalExtent: 1 video file (15 min.) : sound, color
DescriptionThe festival starts in the evening and in the dark. Very little light at all - made more complicated by the odd strip light - and the fact of a rainy evening making the ground wet and reflective. This dance follows a procession of the masks from the temple sanctuary to the green room used for the performance.
Thangbi Mewang is held for four days, from the 13th to the 16th days of the 8th Bhutanese month.
Type of ResourceMoving image
IdentifiersNYPL catalog ID (B-number): b19797747Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 82f41f80-8292-0130-fbe3-3c075448cc4b
Copyright NoticeCore of Culture
Rights StatementThis 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).
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