Hundreds of people gather to witness the five-day festival in the grounds of Rinpung Dzong, a monastery and fortress in Paro. The town, situated west of the capital, Thimpu, is nestled in a bucolic valley. During the festival, days are filled with worship, both through decoration and dance - the latter ranging from acrobatic displays to slapstick shows. The red-masked Atsara figure is a traditional comedic character, his act combining wit and wisdom, humour and responsibility. His role is to help the audience to forget their worries with his jokes and to puncture their self-importance, hypocrisy and false propriety through his pranks.
This story is from the December 2021 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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This story is from the December 2021 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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