It is exactly midnight. The temperature outside has dipped to its lowest. The sound of the cymbals and trumpets ushers in the main spectacle into the darkness. The crowd of five thousand or so juggles for better view. Out of the ancient temple door and into the dimly illuminated courtyard enveloped by the cold winter chill pours out sixteen men. Stark naked except for their faces covered with cloth pieces.
Perpetuating a century old ritual created by the saint terton Dorji Lingpa, the naked men begin the dance inspired by the great master Guru Rimpoche in rhythmic accompaniment of the concocted sounds of the cymbal, drums and the trumpets. A few old men and women seated in the front rows clasped their hands fervently praying for good merits that the ancient ritual is supposed to bestow. The cold and dark November night of the Jampel Lhakhag courtyard is only illuminated by a bon fire lit up in the center to provide a semblance of warmth to the dancers.
The shadowy crowd of midnight audience is knotted like a ball of worms twirling and jostling against each other. The jostling transforms into conspicuous pushing and pulling as each person vies for a view of the spectacle of naked men. There are cries and screams. Some are feeble of elderly, some of pain and others are simply howling for the sheer fun of it. The knot of worms gradually becomes noisy. Amongst those who braved the cold night for blessings of the ancient ritual are those who are out to defile the sanctity of the ritual.
Like the hyenas, the show stealers take the spotlight. The incessant lewd comments drown the ritual sounds of the drums and the cymbals. Despicable and vulgar remarks are directed at teasing the younger women. With each profane comment shouted out into the courtyard, a little of the ancient sacredness is rubbed off. A wrinkled hand jerks harder at the rosary as if to beat away the ugly head of the very demon that the naked dance was supposed to keep away.
Terton Dorji Lingpa was successful in subduing a band of devils that created havoc in a construction of a temple through this naked dance. Today the naked dance – the Ter Cham - itself is mercilessly at the hands of a band of ‘devils’ who jeopardize the sanctity of the ritual by creating havoc through lewd and despicably vulgar comments during the performance.
The Ter Cham must be restored to its original sanctity. It should be saved from the howling night teasers. The old, women, children and families must continue to benefit spiritually from the age old naked dance. Organizers, local government and the Bumthang community owe it to the country and to Terton Dorji Lingpa to perpetuate the Ter Cham for all times to come in its original glory and sanctity through better crowd management and better crowd policing.
Dema Lhamo
Trainer / Researcher
Institute for Management Studies (IMS)
Olakha
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