BHUTAN'S MASKED BALL
Paro Tsechu, a week long festival in Paro town, comprises of religious dances, ceremonies, chants, and lots of blessings. Eating, shopping, and drinking local spirits go hand in hand with religious activities.
The tsechu, literally meaning, "the 10th day" occurs in either March or April -- depending on the Bhutanese Buddhist lunar calendar.
Domestic and international tourists flock to Paro town to enjoy a celebration of horn-blowing, drum-beating, dzongka-chanting, and trance dancing rituals.
Youths walk to the festival grounds inside Paro's fortress. While visiting any dzong, all Bhutanese citizens are required to wear the national uniform -- authorities strictly enforce this dress code at each entrance. Footwear, however, is seldom questioned.
Hundreds of monks embody the roles of heroes, animals, deities and other religious figures to recreate the stories and teachings of Guru Rimpoche. The dances are accompanied by enchanting and equally rattling music made by local gongs, bells, horns, drums, and conch-shells.
Young volunteers act as crowd control and a helping hand for the elderly.
During the second day's festivities, a masked man who represents human error and folly is seen running around the courtyard. Frightened by masked dancers, he tries to escape from them, but is captured each time. His wicker basket drops, and out of the hole emerges a severed cow's head. In Bhutan, killing and eating animals is a sin; this man's carnal evidence is a warning to the people of their fate if they cause negative karma.
During the festival, monks play the role of masked dancers and life-like figurines. When they are not depicting ancient Bhutanese folktales and religious scripts, they can be seen enjoying the event with their family and friends.
Throughout the week, Bhutanese and international tourists crowd the dzong's open roof sanctum to enjoy mesmerizing dance performances.
A man grabs a blessed thread tied around his neck as the crowd makes way for masked dancers running out of the courtyard.
Father Chimmi carries his youngest on his back in a traditional cubnay (baby carrier) while his wife ensures their daughter's head stays protected from Paro's high altitude rays.
Guns are some of the most popular toys bought during tsechu time. Before, during, and after the daily events unfold at the festival ground, children can be found shooting rubber pellets from plastic guns.
During Throngdrel, the last day of the festival, attendees line up in anticipation of receiving a blessing near the base of a 350-year old, four-story tapestry, as early as 3am. Bhutanese buddhists believe that by just looking at the ornately decorated textile, they will be cleansed of all sins.
A woman burns offerings while a monk chats on his mobile phone in front of the dzong.
The red-masked Atara, acts as a joker to keep the crowd alive and excited throughout a long performance.
A final batch of attendees walk to the grounds to receive last-minute blessings on the festival's final afternoon.