Coinciding with the, Zhabdrung Kuchoe, on the 400th year of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel’s arrival to Bhutan His Royal Highness The Gyalsey will receive a name in a Naming ceremony today.
Yesterday, His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen offered prayers at the Thimphu Changangkha Lhakhang along with His Royal Highness The Gyalsey before departing for Punakha.
The Naming Cermony for His Royal Highness The Gyalsey will be held at the Punakha Dzong tomorrow coinciding with the auspicious day of Zhabdrung Kuchoe. Zhabdrung Kuchoe is being celebrated in a special way this year to mark the 400th anniversary of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel’s arrival in Bhutan.
HRH The Gyalsey will receive a name from the sacred Machhen Lhakhang of the Punakha Dzong and the name will be given through His Holiness the Je Khenpo.
The Je Khenpo will administer Thruesel ceremony in the Machhen followed by the offering of Nyendar and then the Tshen (name) of HRH the Gyalsey will be received.
Inside the Dzong, there will be a recitation of Jigten Wangchuk, Zhabdrung Kuchoe-Wangchok Sungchhoe and Zhabdrung Dagnami Sungchhoe while outside Dzong, at Thangzona, public will be gathered to witness Zhabdrung Zaynami Tendrel Tsechu with other cultural programs.
In addition, public will have a chance to listen to His Majesty the King’s announcement of HRH The Gyalsey’s Tshen followed by Tokha to the public. Public will be given Machen Damzay, Sungkey and Mendrup Ku with a continuation of cultural programs.
Meanwhile, there is visible excitement among ordinary Bhutanese as to the name of The Gyalsey.
The two main reasons for this anticipation is firstly that The Gyalsey is the first born son to His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen and secondly the Royal birth and now the naming ceremony coincides with the important religious occasion of Zhabdrung Kuchoe.
The rush can be made out from Hotel bookings in Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang with many running out of rooms for the occasion as people from other parts of the country travel to Punakha for the sacred occasion.
From Friday evening itself various dignitaries from Thimphu headed to Punakha for the occasion.
Tandin Phuntsho, 46 a shopkeeper in Thimphu said, “From the announcement of the impending birth of the Royal baby last year to the actual birth has been filled with many auspicious signs and dates. It is apt that the naming ceremony is held on such a special day.”
Tandin said that he would be going along with His family to witness the naming ceremony and also get blessing from the sacred relics of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.
Phuntsho Wangdi, 64 a retired bureaucrat said that given that all the auspicious signs and events had favored The Gyalsey showing the birth to be a special one, the naming ceremony also has to be done on an auspicious day.
He pointed out that as the first son of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty the Queen all the auspicious signs were also good for the country’s future and continued prosperity.
Meanwhile, preparations were also in full swing for the naming ceremony in Punakha from filling potholed roads to a cleanliness drive. The Punakha Dzong has also been decorated for the Zhabdrung Kuchoe and the special naming ceremony to be done on the same day.
Apart from His Majesty The King, His Majesty the Fourth King, Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen, Their Majesties the Queen Mothers, and members of the Royal family, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and other dignitaries, a big gathering of the public is expected.
Sacred relics connected to Zhabdrung brought in from Dzongs across Bhutan for the special occasion will be displayed for public veneration at the Punakha Dzong for the next three days.