TitleBeh, Namkhai Ramnyen: 2nd Day of three-day Festival [Wide shot]
Additional title: Martial 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 737A
TopicsDance -- BhutanFolk dancing -- BhutanDance -- Religious aspects -- BuddhismRites & ceremonies -- BhutanSword-dance -- BhutanFestivals -- BhutanDzongs -- Bhutan -- Bumthang (District)Bumthang (Bhutan : District)Ritual and ceremonial dancing -- Bhutan
GenresFilmed danceFilmed performances
NotesAdditional physical form: For close shot version, see: *MGZIDF 737B.Source note: We only filmed the middle day of the three-day festival - and the dances were held in the Lhakhang courtyard as per our request. The previous day the dances had been held in a wider field some small distance from the lhakhang.Content: Namkhai Ramnyen - Day Two (Dec. 11, 2005): Entry Procession ; Beh - Martial Dances ; Lhamo and Goen - Dance of Lhamo and Goen ; Yak Cham - Dance of the Yak ; Lhamo and Goen - Dance of Lhamo and Goen ; Yak Cham - Dance of the Yak ; Lhamo and Goen - Dance of Lhamo and Goen ; Yak Cham - Dance of the Yak. The dances were repeated three times during the day, and as far as we could understand this whole program was repeated each day for three days. There were also various Boedra and folk dances set amongst these two main dances.Venue: Videotaped in performance at the Namkha Lhakhang (facing Lakhang along right diagonal - camera set up on outer wall at the corner), in Bumthang, on Dec. 11, 2005.Acquisition: Gift; Core of Culture. NN-PDBiographical/historical: Namkha Lhakhang in Bumthang Tang (the Tang Valley of Bumthang) is the religious seat of Tshamph Namkha Samdrup, one of the most venerated lamas at that time (16th Century). While building this monastery, a devilish spirit living in the Black Lake of Karbang caused damage and harm to the construction and the workers. With his enormous skill and divine knowledge, the Lama changed himself into a yak and destroyed the Black Lake. As the lake could not remain there, it was believed to have migrated to what is now Khen Buli. Thereafter, as per the instructions of the Lama, the Yak dance is performed every year during the (Memorial Service for the) consecration ceremony of the Namkha Lhakhang on the 15th Day of the 10th Bhutanese lunar month.
Physical DescriptionBorn digitalExtent: 1 video file (10 min.) : sound, color
DescriptionLemah and Beh describe kinds of martial dances - often performed at tsechus and during certain rituals. The Lemah is a dance particularly associated with Punakha, and normally describes how the eight pazap groups are called to Punakha to take part in the celebrations remembering the famous victory over the Tibetan army under the Zhabdrung in 1639 - a memorial particularly associated with the Punakha Drubchen. Punakha was the seat of the Zhabdrung, and before the Punakha Drubchen could start all the Penlops (from Trongsa, Paro and Dagana) and Dzongpoens (Wangdue, Thimphu etc.) had to pay taxes (bulwa or byu).
Three different young men perform a martial dance in sequence. The atsara and others shout and mock to put them off whilst they are performing.
Type of ResourceMoving image
LanguagesDzongkha
IdentifiersNYPL catalog ID (B-number): b19805781Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 12c75af0-e378-0130-0731-3c075448cc4b
Copyright NoticeCore of Culture
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