Raksha marcham | Gangtey Tshechu | 2024

Nima Wangchuk, a dedicated monk, teacher and a dance master of Gangtey Buddhist University has performed the Gangtey Raksha Lango Dance (Lang go: Ox Headed).
Raksha Mangcham is deeply symbolic and rooted in Buddhist teachings, particularly concerning the afterlife and the journey of the soul. It is a Bardo Cham, meaning it represents the experiences of the soul in the “bardo” state, a term in Buddhism referring to the intermediate state between death and rebirth. During this period, the soul is guided by spiritual forces, encountering various deities and demonic figures, which symbolize one’s own karmic actions and their consequences.
The dance plays an essential role in conveying these teachings to the lay audience, often as a moral guide for living a virtuous life by visually depicting the consequences of human actions. It teaches us the importance of cultivating virtue, compassion, and wisdom in our daily lives, as these qualities determine our journey in the bardo and our ultimate fate in the cycle of rebirth.
Picture Courtesy: Gangtey Shedra FB
Video Courtesy: WeChat group