Dashain is the 15-day national (religious) festival of Nepal, and a state festival of Indian states of Sikkim and the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The festival is closely related to Navratri celebrated by Hindus in India. It is also a national holiday in Bhutan. Now it is celebrated all around the world by the Nepalese diaspora. The festival falls around September-October, before the rice harvest. This festival is known for emphasis on family gatherings, as well as on a renewal of community ties. People return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together.

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Chorten Kora is located in Trashiyangtse, the easternmost district of Bhutan. One can reach Trashiyangtse after two hours drive from Trashigang following the banks of Dangmechu and Kholungchu rivers.

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Gomphu Kora lies in the heart of the agrarian belt of eastern Bhutan. It is 23 kilometres from Trashigang Dzong, the headquarters of Bhutan’s most populous district, and two kilometers from Duksum, a quaint hamlet consisting of a few shops.

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Jampa lhakhang is located in Bumthang and is situated on the way to the Kurjie Lhakhang. It’s a ten minutes drive to the temple from the Chamkhar town.

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The temple is located at Kurje in the Chokhor valley in Bumthang district. It is a 15 minutes drive from the Chamkhar town.

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Merak valley in eastern Bhutan under Trashigang Dzongkhag is a unique valley inhabited by a semi-nomadic people known as the Brokpas. Situated at the height of 3000 meters, the valley remains untouched by the influence of the outside world. Living close to nature in the pristine wilderness, the Brokpas sustain through yak rearing and animal husbandry. Farming is virtually non-existent, and bartering is still the norm of economy amongst the Brokpas. They barter their Yak products for food grains and other daily necessities with the neighbouring Tshanglas.

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Lhuenste is one of the easternmost districts in Bhutan that borders with the autonomous region of Tibet. It is the ancestral home of our Kings and hosts a number of important and sacred monuments. The most important amongst others is the Dzong that sits majestically on a ridge overlooking the Kurichu river. A small hermitage and a temple was built in 1552 by Ngagi Wangchuk, and later enlarged into its present status by Zhabdrung Nawang Namgyal.

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Mongar in eastern Bhutan is largely known as the “Bastion of the Zhongarps,” after the illustrious Dzongpons of Zhongar that played significant role in the history of Bhutan. One can still see the ruins of the Zhongar Dzong next to the highway in Lingmethang before reaching Mongar. The main inhabitants are the Tshanglas and the Kurtoeps. They speak the tshanglakha and the Kurtoepaikha and are famous for wood carvings and extracting oil from lemon grass.

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Nimalung Lhakhang is located in Chumey in Bumthang. It is approximately a 15 minute drive from the road that branches off from the village of Chumey.

The Lhakhang was co-founded by Dasho Gonpo Dorji and Doring Trulku Jamyang Kunzang, the third mind reincarnation of Terton Jigme Lingpa in 1935.

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Sakten valley in eastern Bhutan under Trashigang Dzongkhag is another valley inhabited by a semi-nomadic people known as the Brokpas. Situated at the height of above 3000 meters, the valley remains untouched by the influence of the outside world. Living close to nature in the pristine wilderness, the Brokpas sustain through yak rearing and animal husbandry and are fun loving people.

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