Embroidery (Tshemdru)
During the 17th century, under the leadership of Shabdrung Rinpoche and Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, Bhutan saw the establishment of tailoring and embroidery as an important traditional craft. These skills were developed not only for administrative purposes but also for religious institutions such as monasteries and temples. The art of textile craftsmanship and its associated practices were given significant importance.
Later, particularly during the time of the second Je Khenpo (Supreme Abbot) Ngawang Chödrak, the great master Lama Ngawang Rabgye initiated the creation of the “Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche” in Bhutan. This was the first time such sacred representations were introduced in the country. At that time, a highly skilled artist named Drakpa Gyatso, an expert in religious painting and embroidery, was invited to contribute.
Drakpa Gyatso and other skilled craftsmen came to Bhutan and helped expand the knowledge and practice of tailoring and embroidery, establishing it as an important artistic tradition.
