Biggest Maha Shivaratri Festival in Bhutan: TUMDRAK AMI-NEY

Thousands of Hindu devotees from neighboring country states visit Tumdrak Aminye, especially on Mahashivratri. This year the organizers and observers marked the highest number of devotees because they could not attend the festival for the last two years due to the pandemic. Local authorities shared that more than 5 lakh or more devotees must have visited the holy site. Tumdrak Aminey is one of holiest sites for the Bhutanese and the Indians. The people of India revere the site as an abode of Lord Shiva and the Bhutanese have long observed it as one of the important sites visited by Guru Rinpoche and other great saints. The Ney is also known as a holy place of Goddess Saraswati (Lhamo Yangchen Lhamo), Lord Shiva, Chumo Ganga (Matey Ganga), and Tshodha Langpo. It is also considered the place from where the hell and heaven’s ways are directed. To commemorate MahaShivratri, authorities from Bhutan and India come together to facilitate the event. It is one of the most significant events that strengthen and promote strong community relationships and cohesion between the people of Bhutan and India at Tumdrak Ney. The place is about 60 Km and a 2-hour drive through Alipur Duar in India and the visitors have to enter Bhutan through Haawdabad entry point. From the entry point, it will take one one-hour hike to the holy site. Supported by the India Bhutan Foundation India in Bhutan (Embassy of India, Thimphu)