Nankhar Tsetchu

22^nd November

Privileged seating with Lam Rinchen Drukpa

I was rather delighted, at the birthday celebrations for the 4^th King, to be invited, by the Lama of Nankhar Goempa, to attend his Tsetchu a week and a bit later. 

Although I was non committal at the time, as it would mean attending on the Sunday before my class 8 students sat their exam, I decided it was an opportunity too good to miss, so rose early on Sunday morning, packed a picnic lunch of fried rice, along with my kira and taego, and headed up the hill.  Literally. 

Thinking of it as "A little stroll" was maybe an understatement. I had estimated 2 hours for the vertical ascent of about 550m and was not particularly phased by the fact I did not know the way. It was up.

Beautifully attired girls sing and dance

The paths I took wound their way through terraces, along an electric fence up  45°slopes which were slippery with dry dust and through sections of forest. I sought directions a couple of times. Gesticulations and references to chorten enhance my understanding of Sharchop directions immensely!   

After about 2 hours I met a group of ladies from Sep who suggested I walk with them.  An offer gratefully accepted as I was unsure of the next little bit, I needed to get around the hill from the ridge which I was largely following.

After another of my Lady Jane efforts at the chorten just below Nankhar we proceeded, and one of my companions kindly offered any help I might need during the day as we parted at the Goempa. My estimate of 2 hours was definitely too ambitious.  I arrived some 3.5 hours after I had left home.

Atara and me

I was greeted by a school principal from Trashigang who sent me, with a lackey, to pay my respects to the Lama, who invited me to sit in the official pavilion to view the Tsetchu. A very special privilege. 



A masked cham dance was in full swing and was followed by the antics of the atara, dancing by beautifully attired girls and a play which was explained to me by Nankhar's Lam Rinchen Drukpa, his sister and another visiting lama.

As I sat in the pavilion, with clear views of both familiar peaks and other peaks further into India that I had not seen before, listening to the unique music and enjoying the costumes and the program, all of which has very significant meaning, I could only think how lucky I am to be able to experience this and many of the other things I am experiencing this year.

The inside of Nankhar Goempa all dressed up for Tsetchu

I tried to depart early to ensure I would be home before dark, declined once again offers of ara ... and punctuated refusals with mimes of rolling down the hill. That, judging by the laughter, needed no translation into Sharchop. 

I finally departed, declined Tim’s colleague’s offer to walk with me to the roadhead that would take me in the wrong direction, changed back into more sensible clothes for hiking and headed down the hill on a mixture of paths on which I had walked up and others.

A lovely sunset to finish off the day.

I was pleased with my sense of direction and knowledge of the geography of the area, I had only one tiny detour that required backtracking. I received and interpreted further directions and declined further offers of hospitality.

I wandered through forest, along the narrow edge of retaining walls for terraces, through gardens and people's yards, down steep slopes and others much easier, to get home in a bit under 2.5 hours to a fabulous sunset and a welcome cold shower..

I've now had 4 Tsetchu experiences, including Mongar, and my preference is the Tsetchu in the more remote goempas. The dances are just as good but the feel is so much more intimate and the performers are so much closer to the audience.