# @natgeo on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CKjpaW_DsTr
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/11686461-natgeo-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/01765ebece.jpg
- **Posted:** 2021-01-27T17:34:42.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** National Geographic (@NatGeo) — https://gondola.cc/NatGeo

## Caption

Photos by Matthieu Paley paleyphoto / The unplanned often brings the best memories from an assignment, such as these moments from an afternoon spent at the Gasa monastery in Bhutan. I was on my way to photograph the remote Laya Valley, when we passed an unusual number of people coming in and out of a monastery. We walked inside, where monks were performing Tibetan Cham dance. Rooted in folktales, these masked performances have a narrative interspersed with comedy and satire. Musicians, dancers, monks, and visitors from nearby villages all met up for this annual Tshechu, a large religious festival. This type of gathering facilitates social bonding among people from remote and spread-out villages. For more cultural insights, follow paleyphoto. #bhutan #mountainculture #monastery #himalayanworld

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 227,930
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- **Comments:** 876

## Tags

himalayanworld, monastery, mountainculture, bhutan

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