Festivals

Candlemas, or Trndez, is a feast of purification for the Armenian Apostolic Church and Armenian Catholic Churches, marking 40 days after Jesus's birth. The celebration of the Trndez is zoroastrian in origin and is said to predate the worship in ancient pre-Christian Armenia. The main ceremony features a bonfire, symbolizing the coming of spring, complete with songs and dances until the fire dies down.

Bau Nyale, an ancient festival started by the Tunjung Beru Kingdom’s Princess Mandalika, celebrates the yearly appearance of nyale sea worms at Seger Beach in Kuta Village over five days. Glowing bright, the worms depart their coral reefs and head to the surface. Several events following the worms' appearance provide plenty of entertainment.

February 21st commemorates the lives sacrificed during the political movement in 1952 that advocated the recognition of the Bengali language as the official language of Bangladesh, which was then a dominion of Pakistan whose government imposed the state language of Urdu. To honor the martyrs, each year government officials and the public lay wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar in front of the Medical College and Hospital of Dhaka, the location where the movement took place.

The Takin is the national animal of Bhutan and this two-day festival honors the creature, while celebrating the rich ecological heritage of the area. People travel from all around to Jigme Dorji National Park in Gasa, where they go on treks, bathe in the hot springs and watch the nomadic herders weaving with raw materials.

This three-day annual festival celebrates the nomadic communities in Bhutan as they gather together in the countryside of Bumthang to share their traditions and cultures. There is a ceremonial parade, traditional dances are performed and games are played. Crowds gather to cook, eat and socialize together, and sell their products and crafts.

The annual festival at Punakha is of particular importance as the district is the winter home of the Abbot of Bhutan; it was introduced in order to preserve Buddhist teachings and traditions. Over three days, people make a pilgrimage to the district to hear the monks chanting scriptures and to watch the traditional historical dances.