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Bhutan Festivals
Bhutan has numerous public holidays, most of which
center
around traditional seasonal, secular, and religious
festivals. They
include winter solstice (around January 1, depending on
the lunar
calendar), lunar new year (January or February), the Druk
Gyalpo's
birthday and the anniversary of his coronation, the
official start
of monsoon season (September 22), National Day (December
17), and
various Buddhist and Hindu celebrations. Even the secular
holidays
have religious overtones, including religious dances and
prayers
used to bless the day.
Masked dances and dance dramas are common traditional
features
at festivals. Energetic dancers wearing colorful wooden or
composition face masks employ special costumes and music
to depict
a panoply of heroes, demons, death heads, animals, gods,
and
caricatures of common people. The dances enjoy royal
patronage and
preserve not only ancient folk and religious customs but
also
perpetuate the art of mask making.
Data as of September 1991
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