Punakha Drubchen
Festival

The History Behind the Festival

How Zhabdrung Outwitted the Tibetan Army — Twice

The story behind the Punakha Drubchen is one of the most compelling episodes in Bhutanese history. When Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal fled Tibet in 1616 and came to Bhutan, he brought with him the Rangjung Kharsapani — a revered self-created image of Chenrizig (Avalokiteshvara) that the Tibetan religious establishment considered its own property. Successive Tibetan rulers launched invasions of Bhutan to recover it. By 1639, the situation had reached its most dangerous point: a Tibetan force was encamped on the hill of Jili Gang, above the Punakha cremation ground, observing the dzong and waiting for the ideal moment to attack.

Zhabdrung responded with two stratagems rather than direct battle. The first was theatrical: he ordered the Pazaps — local militiamen from the eight great village blocks of Wang — to exit the dzong from one gate and re-enter through another, once in the morning and once in the evening, in their battle dress. Watching from Jili Gang, the Tibetans counted what appeared to be a constant stream of fresh soldiers entering the fort and concluded the garrison was too large to assault.

The second stratagem was religious and psychological. Zhabdrung knew the Tibetans would not withdraw without the Rangjung Kharsapani. So he staged a ceremony: the sacred relic was taken to the banks of the Mo Chhu river and subjected to a ritual that made it appear to be submerged in the water. News reached the Tibetan commanders that the relic had been lost to the river — irretrievable, gone. Without their objective, the invasion force withdrew. Zhabdrung had won the decisive battle of his tenure through theatrical intelligence rather than bloodshed, and he instituted the Drubchen that same year in 1639 to commemorate it.

The Pazap Warriors — Who They Are and What They Wear

The Pazap role in the Drubchen is hereditary within the communities of Wang Tsochengyé — the eight great gewog blocks of the Wang area: Kawang, Chang, and Mewang in Thimphu Dzongkhag, and Baap, Kabjisa, Shengana, Toewang, and Toeb in Punakha. In the original 1639 defence, these communities contributed 136 Pazaps, including generals (zimpon/makpon) and eight gups as Zhabdrung’s representatives. Today, the Tsokpa (chiwog representatives) elect three Pazaps per block; only residents of Wang Tsochengyé may hold the role.

The Pazap costume is one of the most spectacular traditional outfits in Bhutan. The warriors wear intricately patterned Ghos, yellow silk skirts (bhoe chen) adorned with colourful ribbons, and distinctive felt boots in white, blue, and red. They carry swords and shields. Seventeen key figures lead the theatrical display. The performance climaxes with the mock immersion ceremony at the Mo Chhu, followed by the generals being ceremoniously dragged from their horses and carried up the dzong stairs in jubilation.

Punakha Drubchen and the Punakha Tshechu — Two Festivals, One Visit

The Punakha Drubchen (three days) is held immediately before the Punakha Tshechu (five days), making it possible to attend both in a single trip to Punakha. The Punakha Tshechu includes its own Pazap re-enactment on the final day, the unveiling of the massive Punakha Thongdrel (83×93 feet, made from 6,000 metres of silk by 51 artists), and the full five-day Cham dance programme. Together, the Drubchen and Tshechu represent the most concentrated festival experience available in Bhutan: eight days at the most beautiful dzong in the country, featuring the most historically specific ceremony (the Pazap re-enactment) and the largest Thongdrel in existence.

Things to Do in Punakha Around the Festival

• Punakha Dzong — the most beautiful dzong in Bhutan, at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, built by Zhabdrung in 1637. The festival is held in its courtyards; visiting the interior temples before or after the festival is essential.
• Chimi Lhakhang — the fertility temple of Drukpa Kunley (the Divine Madman), on a hillock above the rice paddies between Punakha and Wangdue, a 20-minute walk from the road. A pilgrimage site for couples seeking children.
• Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten — a 30-minute hike above the Mo Chhu valley, built by Queen Mother Ashi Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck. Exceptional views of the Punakha Valley from the top.
• Punakha suspension bridge — one of the longest traditional suspension bridges in Bhutan, 160 metres across the Pho Chhu just downstream from the dzong.
• Mo Chhu white-water rafting — gentle rafting on the Mo Chhu, suitable for all experience levels. A half-day activity that can be arranged through Found Bhutan.
• Talo Monastery — 20km north of Punakha on a ridge at 2,800m, the most significant monastery in Punakha Dzongkhag and seat of Zhabdrung’s mind incarnations. The Talo Tshechu (March/April) features the unique Zungdra dance.