Chorten Kora (14 Days Tour) | 26th April 2017

The Chorten Kora Festival is one of the most popular festivals in eastern Bhutan. ‘Kora’ means circumambulation. The biggest activity of the festival is circumambulating the Chorten Kora. It also attracts people from the neighboring Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It brings out colorful aspects of Bhutanese culture such as mask dances, the rich textiles and brocades worn by the locals and the triumphant atmosphere of the festival itself.

The festival draws people from all over the country and also from the neighboring Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh who walk for days to attend the festival. It is held at a stupa near a river. The stupa is one of the few in the country that resembles the Boudanath Stupa in Nepal.

It is believed to be built in the 18th century by a lama to subdue a demon. Locals say a beautiful, virtuous and virgin princess from Arunachal Pradesh in India voluntarily agreed to be buried alive as the main relic of the stupa. It is one of the reasons why people from Arunachal Pradesh still visit the festival.

Bird lovers can time their visit to the place during winter when the endangered black-necked crane flies down all the way from the Tibetan plateau from up north.

The festival is also popular with young men and women who often come to the festival anticipating to find their life partners. They circumambulate the stupa at night and resort to adventurous means to entertain themselves. Many end up in nuptials.