A group of women come together to breathe new life into their fading cultural heritage

Neten Dorji

Pemagatshel—In the quiet hamlets of Choekhorling gewog in Pemagatshel, an ancient song is about to vanish.

Some eight elderly women are the last remaining custodians of the Chondi-ru song.

Believed to have originated during the reign of the First King, Chondi-ru song is a lyrical dance performance that celebrates women’s traditional ornaments—kongra (earrings), tingkhab (koma), and kucheng (belt).

Over the years, it has become an emblem of Choekhorling’s cultural heritage.

Chondi-ru dancers at Choekhorling

“The song was composed by an armo (maid) who praised the Queen’s ornaments,” recounts Abi Changlo, the last surviving singer from the older generation. “Though it began as a light-hearted song, it came to define our community.”

For centuries, this intricate dance, paired with lyrical tributes to traditional ornaments, defined the identity of the Choekhorling community.

But as villages empty and the elderly fade, the legacy of Chondi-ru teeters on the brink of extinction.

Faced with this existential threat, a group of women—dropout students, mothers, and elders—came together to rekindle the dying embers of their heritage. They turned to the oldest generation of women or Abis to learn the dance steps and lyrics.

“We realised no one else would save our traditions if we did not act,” said 23-year-old Namgay Zangmo, one of the youngest dancers in the group.

Encouraged by elders and the gewog administration, Namgay Zangmo and her friends have made Chondi-ru performances a mainstay at local celebrations and events.

“We used to have a group of Chondi-ru dancers in school but all of them left,” she said.

Today, Namgay Zangmo performs with other older women.

Recreating the intricate footwork and synchronising movements took determination. “Some steps, like the rhythmic tapping and hand gestures, were particularly challenging,” she said.

The urgency of their mission is not lost on 42-year-old Karma Zangmo. “Many elderly dancers are now too old to perform,” she said. “We had to step forward to learn the song from icons like Abi Tempa Choden, the granddaughter of Abi Chonduri, and others, who are themselves the last in their lineage of performers.”

Efforts to preserve the song have led to the documentation of its lyrics to ensure a lifeline for future generations.

“The tradition has been passed down orally for generations, but it is now endangered because young people are less interested in preserving it,” said former Mangmi Jigme Nidup.

Recognising this, the community has listed Chondi-ru as a performing art in the gewog and actively circulates its lyrics among the younger generation to ensure its continuity.

“We would like to continue this tradition as long as we are alive,” said Karma Zangmo. “The song is very close to the heart of the Kulkata (old name of Choekhorling gewog),” she added.

Origin of the song

The Chondi-ru song is one of the few surviving indigenous songs that embody the cultural identity of the Choekhorling community. The song has been passed down orally through generations—now a vital part of the community’s heritage.

According to oral traditions, Chondi-ru originated in Bumthang or Trongsa during the reign of Bhutan’s First King Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck. The song is said to have been composed by an Armo (maid), an attendant to Her Majesty, praising the splendid ornaments she wore.

Overtime, the song was sung and performed widely by attendants, traders, and even tax collectors, who carried its melodies across communities. However, the song has disappeared entirely from folk traditions in Bumthang and Trongsa.

Lyrics and dance

The lyrics of Chondi-ru celebrate the beauty of traditional Bhutanese ornaments, particularly those worn by Azhi (Queen) Sonam Tshotsho. The 10 stanzas of the song are poetic tributes to specific adornments, each verse paired with a chorus.

The first couplet introduces Her Majesty and describes her exquisite ornaments, followed by the chorus that ends with the titular phrase Chondi-ru.

The second stanza calls Her Majesty’s name and praises her dangling silky hair, which is again followed by a chorus.

Similarly, the third stanza describes the ornament Ba-tu (crown like ornament) that decorates head and Dong-ra (earrings), Zi-kom (necklace), Ting-khab (shoulder pin), Nam-za (cloth), Ku-ching (belt), Dong-kheb (front wrapping cloth piece) and finally Tshog-lham (boot).

The choreography of Chondi-ru is as intricate as its lyrics. This dance is performed in pairs, while elderly people usually perform in a group of six.

The dancers lift their right hand and leg in sync with the first couplet’s rhythm. During the chorus, they clash their right feet with a partner’s, turning gracefully to repeat the motion in the opposite direction. These synchronised movements continue until the end of the performance.

The dance, reminiscent of Zhung-dra (a classical Bhutanese dance), is typically performed in a standing position, with women forming a single row. While men are welcome to join, it is primarily a preserve of the women.