Sharle Karma Chi Shar

One star rises in the east

Sharle Karma Chi Shar being performed by the artists of Academy with traditional lute.

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This dance is performed at a local festival at the monastery called Talo. The festival, though performed on the 10th day of Tshechu, celebrates the establishment of the monastery at Talo.

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Reasons for selection

This song is one of the rare arts and is not very common in other parts of Bhutan except in the district of its origin. It is considered as one of the sacred folk performing arts which has a spiritual message for the audience and more so owing to its origin from the monastery where Zhabdrung Rinpoche, the unifier of Bhutan, has set foot.

Area where performed

This is one of the classical Bhutanese folk dances. It is performed by male dancers during the local festival.

Essential elements of the performing art

Dance, Music

Detailed explanation

Though traditionally it is performed by both male and female artists, it is more popular with the male artists.

There are between 7 to 15 performers and they are costumed in Bhutanese traditional dress, i.e. gho (male dress)and kira (female dress). It is also performed with dancers playing dranyen, Bhutanese lute, accompanying the dance and the song. The dancers often make a single circular line and occasionally a straight line.

Sonam Dhendup, the great grandfather of the 6th Mind-incarnation of Zhabdrung Rinpoche, Zhabdrung Jigme Chhogyal, is believed to have composed a set of beautiful folk dances after completing his pilgrimage to Tibet. For this reason, the dances and songs carry spiritual messages to the audience. This beautiful dance is also, therefore, believed to be one of the masterpieces of Sonam Dhendup.
The dances and songs composed by Sonam Dhendup still remain the sole property of the monastery called Talo Goenpa in Punakha district. These dances are performed annually at the monastery during the Tshechu festival of Talo village. Most of the performing arts of this locality are not known to other districts as the performance of these dances has to strictly accord with the code of rules framed to be enforced during the festival. Performance beyond its locality and at times other than Tshechu is at the direction of the government.
However, such valuable arts often disappear when performance is limited to only one place and ways and means for preservation and promotion are not thought of.

Publication and textual documentation

not yet available

Audio documentation

not yet available

Visual documentation

not yet available

Institution/organisation involved in preservation and promotion

no information at present

Data provider

Phuntsho Gyeltshen
Lecturer
Royal Academy of Performing Arts
Address: (Special Commission of Performing Arts)Post Box #493 Chubachu, Thimphu, Bhutan