TitleShinjey, Dzongdrakha Tsechu: First and Final Day [Wide shot]
Additional title: Dance of the Lord of Death and his Consort
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 674A
TopicsDance -- BhutanFolk dancing -- BhutanDance -- Religious aspects -- BuddhismRites & ceremonies -- BhutanFestivals -- BhutanDzongs -- Bhutan -- Paro (District)Paro (Bhutan : District)
GenresFilmed danceFilmed performances
NotesBiographical/historical: The Festival at Dzongdrakha Lhakhang is very particular in that it takes place only for one day - and that day is fixed as the day after the ending of the Paro Tsechu. Dzongdrakha Tsechu First and Final Day, 3/26/2005. The first part of the festival takes place around the Lhakhang before moving in procession to a more open space for the dances. Chhoe Zhey - Dharma Song ; Berkor Cham - Circumambulatory Procession ; Gyuan Drug Pawo - Dance of the Heroes with six kinds of ornaments ; Jipai Pawo - Dance of the Honor Guards ; Shinjey - Dance of the Lord of Death and his Consort ; Durdag - Dance of the Four Lords of the Charnel Grounds ; Pa Cham - Dance of the Heroes ; Dramitse Nga Cham - The Drum Dance of Dramitse ; Raksha Mangcham - Dance of the Judgement of the Dead.Biographical/historical: According to Chhojugun Lhosar Ngagyen, in the 13th century, a Ngingmapa lama, Karzhi Rinchen Samten Pelzang dreamt of a khandrum, instructing him to go to a place called Zhungphug in Moen Yuel, where the treasures of Ugyen Rinpoche were hidden. Lam Karzhi Rinchen Samten Pelzang then shared his dream with a dedicated disciple, Drupthog Gyenpo Dorji from Latoet Jangdrog Taktsheit who later followed the instruction given to Lam Krzhi Rinchen Samten Pelzang by the khandrum in his dream. Drubthog Gyenpo Dorji then proceeded towards Moen Yuel in 1428, in Earth Bird Year, in search of the place called Zhungphug in Paro. It is said that when he reached a riverside and didn t know where to go, a jackal came and showed him the direction to Zhungphug. Thus, this particular place came to be known as Wachu , the place presently known as Woochu . The Drubthog along with the jackal, however, followed the right side of the river and reached near a cave where they met a dumb boy who miraculously spoke for the first time as soon as he saw the Drubthog . It was then, when the Drubthog saw the extreme joy of the family that he named it the Ghadrak. The mother as gratitude to the Drubthog sponsored him food and clothes during his meditation period. A day came, while meditating, when he had a spiritual vision of Guru Rinpoche giving him a crystal sword, with which he hit the cave and a huge rock fell in front of him. It is believed that from this rock, he found a crystal stupa (chorten) which was as long as an arrow and three egg-shaped relics of Sangay Youelsum (karshapa). Two of the three relics are said to have flown away at that very instant. Drubthog Gyenpo Dorji then took the remaining one relic and the stupa in a sack and reached a valley. The people in this valley, having known about the treasure inside the sack claimed it to be theirs. They said that it belonged to them and also said that it was only them, who had the rights over the treasure. Because of this, this valley came to be known as Bangdey which is known as Bondue today. The Drubthog later constructed a Lhakhang and installed this treasure (the crystal stupa and the relic) as a sacred monument inside it and named it as Dzongdrakha Lhakhang. Damchhoen Dorji Legpa was the deity of the Lhakhang, who protected the Lhakhang and the sacred monument inside it. It is believed that the relic used to shake on the auspicious days, because of which the people named the crystal stupa Chorten Karmogyel. The Drubthog, who had spent all his life in this Lhakhang ultimately died there. After the death of Drubthog Gyenpo Dorji, his reincarnations started the lineage of Dzongdra Chhoeje and also built many Lhakhangs and Monasteries in and around the place. It is also said that sometimes later the Rinpung Ngeteng (the head lama of a dratshang) Jangchung Zangpo, renovated the Lhakhang and built a new chorten in front of the Lhakhang.Venue: Videotaped in performance at the small courtyard, Dzongdrakha Lhakhang (upper level), Paro Valley, on Mar. 26, 2005.Acquisition: Gift; Core of Culture. NN-PD
Physical DescriptionBorn digitalExtent: 1 video file (ca. 13 min.) : sound, color
DescriptionShinjey Yab Yum - Dance of Yamantaka, the Lord of Death, and his Consort, each wearing wrathful Bull masks. This dance, which always occurs at the start of proceedings sees the pair clearing the arena of evil influence and blessing the site prior to the arrival on earth of the Deities that are to follow after them. Shin means Death ; Je means Lord ; Yab means Male ; Yum means Female. The Bodhisatva Manjusiri (Jampelyang) represents the body of Wisdom of all the Buddhas. When he takes on the appearance of the terrifying Lord of Death, he is known as Shinjey (Shin is Death and Jey means Lord). As the Lord of Death he is considered to be the ruler of the Three Worlds, which are under his protection. His wrathful Bull or Buffalo face guards the four continents and blesses them before the arrival on Earth of the gods of Wisdom. Sheljor, The two consorts shake their heads as they pass each other. This movement is known as sheljor - bussing or face kissing - and it shows how close the two deities are to each other. Lopoen Phuntsho of Tamzhing thinks that this sheljor is only typically found in the Shinjey dance. Tenzing-la of Tamzhing thinks that it has the function of frightening the evil spirits. Lopoen Mindu of CMA says that it represents the wrathful aspect of the two Shinjey figures.
This Tsechu takes place on the 16th day of the Second Month of the Bhutanese calendar and lasts for just one day. It marks the final day of the Paro Tsechu which starts on the 11th day of the Second Month.
Type of ResourceMoving image
IdentifiersNYPL catalog ID (B-number): b19770617Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 43948c50-8292-0130-5597-3c075448cc4b
Copyright NoticeCore of Culture
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