Winter Solstice
January 2: The day is auspicious for people of Western Bhutan who celebrate this day like New Year. People play archery, elderly people visit religious monuments, etc. Farmers do not enjoy the vents as their work days become longer into spring. |
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Meeting of the Nine Evils
January 6 and December 27: King Rahul (Tibet) married the Demon woman and had five children, four daughters and one son. The son and eldest daughter were circumambulating(kora) a large mountain. The son went counter clockwise and the daughter went clockwise. The met each other and made love on the seventh day of the eleventh month. As a result, nine different evils formed on this day. |
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Traditional Day of Offerings
January 27: This is a New Year events for people in Eastern Bhutan. But in general, it is a day to offer food to hungry creatures. Men play archery,dice, darts, cards, etc. Women sing, dance, and picnic. |
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Losar (New Year) Femal Earth OX Year 2009
February 25, 26: This is the New Year (Losar) for all Bhutanese. It is celebrated like the 'Day of Offerings'. Bhutanese people celebrate for two days. whereas Tibetans celebrate for fifteen days. |
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Birth Anniversary of Fifth King Hm Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
February 21, 22, 23: Fifth King, eldest son of HM King Jigme Singje Wangchuck (fourth king). |
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Birth Anniversary of Third Kind HM Jigme Dorje Wangchuck
May 2: The father of the present King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was born in 1928 at the Thruepang Palace in Trongsa. |
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Shabdrung Kuchoe
May 4: Commemorates the passing of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1651 CE at the Punakha Dzong on the tenth day of the fourth month in the Lunar Calendar. A day for religious ceremonies, all dzongs in Bhutan conduct funeral ceremonies for Rinpoche Shabdrung. |
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Lord Buddha's Parinirvana
June 7: On the fifteenth day of the fourth month in the Lunar Calendar, Buddha passed away in Kushinagar, India, for nirvana life. |
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Coronation Anniversary of Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
June 2: HM the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was officially crowned as the fourth King of Bhutan in 1974. This day is also celebrated as Social Forestry Day where school children plants trees in and around their schools. |
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Birth Anniversary of Guru Rinpoche
July 2: Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambava) was born on the tenth day of the fifth month from the lake Danakosha in India locally know as Tsho Pema. It is commonly know as Swat in Pakistan. |
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First Sermon of Lord Buddha
August 25: Buddha's first preaching to the arhats at Sarnath, Benares in the Deer's Park. |
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Death Anniversary of third king HM Jigme Dorje Wangchuck
August 5: HM King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck passed away in 1972 in Africa. |
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Blessed Rainy Day
September 24: On this day all natural water sources are blessed. It is believed that by bathing early in the morning it rids one of disease, bad luck, and bad karma. The 'Blessed Rainy Day' also marks the end of monsoon and the beginning of harvesting season and the cessation of farm activities for the year. |
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Thimphu Drupchen Dromche(For Thimphu Only)
September 24: This is a festival (Dromchoe) dedicated to the Mahakala and Penden Lhamo deities but the holiday is given only to the residents of Thimphu. |
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Thimphu Tshechu (For Thimphu Only)
September 28, 29, 30: Celebrating the deeds of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambava) Three days of holiday given to the residents of Thimphu. The Thimphu Tshechu (tenth day or festival) is the larges in Bhutan. |
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Dashain (Nepali Festival)
October 9: Nepali Hindu festival celebrated by Southern Bhutanese. A tend day festival celebrating Durga's (wrathful form of Shiva's wife Devi) victory over the Buffalo Demon ( Mahisasura). Houses are scrubbed clean, replastered and painted gifts exchanged, feasting, and family visits. |
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Coronation of Fifth King HM Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Novermber 6: HM the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is officially crowned as the fifth King of Bhutan, November 6, 2008 |
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Descending Day of Lord Buddha
November 9: Buddah's mother (Queen Maya Devi) passed away when Buddha was seven years old. She was reborn in God's realm which is a place of 33 Devas. She had the virtue but could not be enlightened. So Buddha had to ascend to the place for six months ot teach his mother the four nobel truths. Liberating his mother from the 33 Devas og God's realm. He then descended back to earht for the benifit of sentient beings. |
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Birth Anniversary of Fourht King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
November 11: HM King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born 11 November 1955 at Dechhencholing Palace in Thimphu. |
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National Day
December 17: Sir Ugyen Wangchuck was crowned the first King of Bhutan on 17 December 1907 in the Punakha Dzong. |
