Women in traditional dress at the Paro Tshechu Festival in Bhutan

© Richard I'Anson/Getty Image

Patterns from the past. Paro Tsechu Festival, Bhutan

Get ready for a festival like no other—the Paro Tshechu of Bhutan—where drums echo, prayer flags flutter and masked dancers take centre stage. One of Bhutan's annual religious festivals, which are known as tshechus, it is a vibrant showcase of Vajrayana Buddhist heritage. The celebration begins on the 10th day of the second lunar month, which typically falls in March or April. This year, the festival kicks off today and concludes on April 12.

The origins of tshechus date back to the 17th century, when Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the founder of Bhutan, introduced these festivals. The Paro Tshechu takes place in the courtyard of Paro Rinpung Dzong, a fortress-turned-monastery in the town of Paro. It has been celebrated since the dzong's consecration in the same era. This five-day celebration features daily rituals, performances and sacred ceremonies. Today's image features women dressed in the elegant kira, Bhutan's national dress for women, as they celebrate this festival. One of the most special moments of this festival occurs before dawn on the final day, when a giant Thongdrol—a religious scroll painting—is unveiled. This image is believed to bless all who lay eyes upon it.