November 28: His Holiness the Je Khenpo and the monks of the central monastic body left Punakha, their winter residence, yesterday.

His Holiness the Je Khenpo and the monks of the Zhung Dratshang were seen off by the Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley, cabinet ministers, and senior government officials from Tashichhodzong early yesterday morning.

As is the tradition, His Holiness and the monk body will make a night halt at the Thinleygang Lhakhang before proceeding to the Puna Dewa Chenpoi Phodrang today morning.

On the way, thousands of devotees waited at different places to receive blessings from His Holiness the Je Khenpo and the monk body. Every year the monk body and His Holiness the Je Khenpo move to their winter residence on the 1st day of the 10th Bhutanese month.

They will be spending six months in Punakha moving back to Thimphu on the first day of the fourth Bhutanese month.

The tradition was introduced by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in the 17th century.