The sacred naked dance festival in Bhutan
The Sacred Naked Dance of Bumthang, Bhutan Among the many unique cultural traditions of Bhutan, one of the most fascinating and rare is the sacred naked dance performed during the annual festival of Jambay Lhakhang in the beautiful valley of Bumthang Valley . Known locally as Tercham (The Naked Dance) , this extraordinary ritual takes place during the famous Jambay Lhakhang Drup , one of Bhutan's oldest and most revered religious festivals. The festival is held at Jambay Lhakhang , a temple believed to have been built in the 7th century by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo . The temple is considered one of the 108 temples constructed to subdue a giant demoness believed to be obstructing the spread of Buddhism across the Himalayas. The naked dance is usually performed late at night, often after midnight, creating an atmosphere of mystery and spiritual excitement. During the ritual, selected male dancers appear without clothing except for ceremonial masks and ornaments. To outsiders...