BHUTAN ~ The Black Hat Dance ~

... Wonderful view of a typically sacred Buddhist ritual... one of the most popular cham dances without mask seen in Bhutan and other parts of the Buddhist Himalayas... named after the black hats which the dancers wear, the dance has a deep spiritual significance and is performed as an act of religious ritual and practice, and not as a piece of entertainment... this mesmerizing tantric Dance is certainly breathtaking to watch with beautiful costumes and the dancers performing spectacular spins and leaps that become more daring as the day progresses and more Ara is consumed (Local rice liquor) by the dancers... with more than 163 festivals throughout the year, Bhutan is famous for its culturally thrilling festivals.. Thanks a lot Rod!!(✿◠‿◠) It also has an interesting backside: it was initially missent to Thailand and at the Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, guests are gifted with a unique official Bhutanese personalized stamp with your own picture... my first time to see the sender on the stamp!😊

The Black Hat Dance, or Zhana Cham celebrates the assassination of a Tibetan King in 842AD by a black robed Monk. 

The large, wide-brimmed black hat signifies realized spiritual awareness and the subjugation of evil forces.

The dancers of the Zhanak dance are dressed in long silk robe called phoego, which is tied around the hip from within using a special prop so that the robe whirls smoothly and elegantly when the dancers perform whirling movements. The robes are made of different colours of silk brocade and have striped patterns on the main body as well as the sleeves, which have a very broad end.

For the Zhanak dance, when people can afford, the dancers normally wear the traditional boots made in Bhutan.
 

Stamp:

Personalized stamp