Tharpaling Thongdrol

The Tharpaling Thongdrol is a rare and deeply spiritual one-day festival held at the Tharpaling Monastery in the Bumthang valley of central Bhutan.

• No Mask Dances: This is one of the few major Bhutanese festivals that does not feature Cham (mask dances). Instead, the day is entirely dedicated to prayer, meditation, and the viewing of the sacred tapestry.

• Liberation by Sight: The word Thongdrol literally means “liberation upon seeing.” It is believed that simply witnessing the unfurling of the giant tapestry at dawn washes away a lifetime of negative karma.

• The Figures Depicted: The Tharpaling Thongdrol depicts two specific figures:

  • Jowo Jampa (Maitreya, the Future Buddha).

  • Kuenkhen Longchen Rabjam, a 14th-century philosopher and saint who founded the monastery and is one of the most important teachers in the Nyingma school of Buddhism.