This year annual “festival of the Tenth Day” Sacred Lama Dances were performed in the courtyard of Shechen Monastery, Nepal.The full day of sacred dance is presented every year at the end of an intense 6 week period of drupchens (long ceremonies). The public performance of these dances is the gift of the monks to the lay community.

Dating back to the 9th century when Guru Padmasambhava introduced Buddhism to Tibet, the dances have been practiced through the ages by visionary experiences of great masters. They  originated in India, and flourished for centuries in Tibet. The dances are teaching stories, and every mask, costume, movement, and gesture has a specific significance.

Shechen’s dance festival or tsechu is know as ‘The Festival of the 10th Day” and is a spirtual and artistic celebration honoring the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava, particularly his coming to Tibet.

Dances include Invocation, Black Hat, Red Mask, Gings, Pacham (Bhutanese dances), clowns, and of course a historical dance celebrating the coming of Buddhism to Tibet.

We hope that you can attend next year.

Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche and Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoche watching the dances.