Overview:

The Chorten Kora festival in Bhutan is a significant religious festival for the locals which is celebrated annually around March-April. The festival marks the circumambulation or ‘Kora’ of a significant stupa (or Chorten) located in Trashiyangste in eastern Bhutan. The festival is marked by local tradition and rituals with hundreds of people gathering in the festival grounds with colorful attires, offerings and prayers. People from other parts of the country also come to this festival to witness and take part in the religious activities and to explore the unique Bhutanese culture. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Bhutan
Prominent Features:

• Chorten Kora Festival is one of the most significant festivals in Bhutan and is held annually during the month of September or October. • The festival is organized around a Buddhist monastery located in Trashiyangtse district in the eastern Bhutan. • During the festival, people come from all over Bhutan to this sacred site tocircumambulate the chorten three times in a clockwise direction. • There are several religious activities like sacred music and songs performed with typical traditional Bhutanese instruments that are performed and enjoyed by all. • One of the main attractions here is the Moenlam Chenmo or the Great Prayer festival that takes place here during the festival. • The Chorten Kora festival is celebrated for three days and it begins with a procession where people carry a large Thongdrol or a sacred painting that was specially created for the occasion. • This is followed by offerings of prayers, incense, butter lamps, and food to the Gods who are believed to be present in the chorten. • After that people participate in archery contests and mask dance performances. • Moreover, there are other cultural activities such as stone throwing and tug-of-war that often take place during the festival. • At the end of the festivities, the Thongdrol is removed from the site to be used in prayer and all the people who have attended the festival go back home, carrying with them a special blessing from the monastery. This national monument of Bhutan portrays the history and culture of the country.

History:

The Chorten Kora Festival began as a tradition in Bhutan hundreds of years ago. The festival is a religious ceremony that celebrates the founding of the temple of Chorten Kora in eastern Bhutan by Lama Ngawang Loday, who discovered the magical power of the temple and brought it with him to Bhutan. During the ceremony, a large number of pilgrims from all over Bhutan flock to the temple to pay their respects and pray for good luck and prosperity. The festival was initially celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the building and to thank the guardian deities who protect it. Over time, more rituals were added to the annual celebration to make it a more momentous event. One such addition is the circumambulation of the temple by Buddhist pilgrims, for which they must walk up to 21 kms and perform 8 prostrations per kilometer. Pilgrims who are physically unable to complete the arduous circumambulation are still acknowledged and revered during the ceremony. The Chorten Kora Festival is also known as the Paro Tsechu and is celebrated as one of the biggest festivals in Bhutan. During the festival, masked dancers in colorful costumes perform sacred dances and dramas depicting religious events and stories. On the final day of the celebration, everyone in attendance participates in the gathering of the saints, a symbolic meeting of Buddhist gods, goddesses, and demons to confer blessings on the pilgrims. The Chorten Kora Festival not only plays a religious role, but it also serves to preserve and promote the rich culture and traditions of Bhutan. It is an important event during which people from all walks of life come together to celebrate their faith and cultural heritage. You must visit one of these historical places in Bhutan on your Bhutan tour

Interesting facts:

1. The Chorten Kora Festival is one of the most important and auspicious festivals in Bhutan, taking place annually on the 13th day of the first month in the Bhutanese lunar calendar. 2. It is celebrated in honour of Terton Pema Lingpa, a highly revered 15th-century lama who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan. 3. The festival sees pilgrims from across the country gather around Chorten Kora (the white chorten, or stupa) in Trashiyangtse, located in Bhutan’s eastern region. 4. During the festival, many take part in a thrilling display of horsemanship. A highlight is the exciting and often dangerous practice of men riding horses while hanging from the horse’s stirrup. 5. The festivities also feature popular Bhutanese dances such as the traditional Zhana Cham, an energetic dance wherein colorful masks and intricate costumes are worn by performers. 6. Unlike other festivals in Bhutan where the drinking of alcohol is common, the Chorten Kora Festival is a dry affair, and respectful behavior is expected of visitors. 7. Offerings of symbols representing good health and fortune are then made to the chorten, with devotees also engaging in activities such as kora ( circumambulating the stupa) and prostrating to Buddha images. Visit one of the famous monuments of Bhutan with your friends and family.