Bhutanese observed Blessed Rainy Day on September 23, but, unlike in past years, the celebration this year was quieter.

This was because blessed rainy day or Thrue was no longer a national holiday when government revised the list of national holidays. Many now rue the decision. “I didn’t know it was Thrue until I found out that my friend had taken a day’s leave,” said Ugyen, a corporate employee. Ugyen is not alone. Many office goers said that they forgot it was the blessed rainy day because it was not a holiday. “It was gone from the calendar,” said one.

A civil servant, working with the Gross National Commission. had a different take. “Preservation of culture and tradition is one of the pillars of GNH,” he said. “Thrue is an old tradition and should be a national holiday. The young will forget if it is not even mentioned in the calendars.”

Many others said that there are other national holidays that were not celebrated all over the country. “Thrue is one occasion celebrated all over the country,” said Sonam, a civil servant.

According to an astrologer from the Pangrizampa Institute of Astrology, Thrue is also observed in other places like Ladakh in Indian, Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia and some parts of China.

The officiating secretary of home and culture affairs ministry, Nob Tshering said Thrue came into existence some 10 years ago and was removed from the calendar in order to rationalise the national holidays. “The government had to do away with the death anniversary of the Third King and the birthday of the 4th Druk Gyalpo has been reduced from three days to one,” said Nob Tshering.

Thrue in Bhutan is a day marking the end of the monsoon season. On this day all natural water is considered to be sanctifying and people are encouraged to take an outdoor bath to be cleansed of “bad deeds, obstructions and defilements” and accumulated bad karma. The once holiday also marks the end of the farming season and the beginning of the harvest season.Source: Kuenselonline