| Description |
In the past, single men in Bhutan would sneak into the rooms of single ladies at night and engage in sexual activity. The practice Bomena (moving toward a female), or Pchiru Shelni (Pchiru- Night, Shelni- Wander around), was practiced throughout the country; mostly common in Eastern Bhutan.
Males in the villages would slip away stealthily from their homes when dusk fell and would not come back until the early hours. Using a wooden ladder, the guys would climb the windows of the women's homes. If the girl does not like the man peering through her window, she will make noise to alert the rest of the family and have them chase the man away.
The couple would meet at night and, it is a traditional and rural interpretation of romance or a date, where the male would facilitate admission into the girl's home with or without her consent. Some boys would form groups and split up when they got closer to their destination.
In general, nocturnal courtship was a tradition that gave young people the opportunity to meet their potential spouses in the past. It was a difficult practice where the guys had to travel great miles at night, despite dangerous wild animals, in order to find their life partners.
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| Social and cultural significance |
In the past, people primarily found their partners through this custom. It doesn't necessarily have a specific meaning or significance. In the past, it was a common practice across the nation to ignite romance among young people. Even though it was considered one of the young children's silly games, it was an interesting and fascinating custom which helped youths in finding their lifelong partners. |
| Transmission method |
The practice of Pchiru Shelni is on the decline or has been discontinued in various regions of the nation as a result of development and education, as people have learned that it is associated with issues including teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assault, and harassment. The practice of night hunting is now practiced only in a few very rural areas of the nation. Social media and other technologies have replaced Pchiru Shelni as the primary means of igniting teen romance elsewhere except those sparsely populated areas. |
| Community |
Practiced by the people of the Bhutanese communities.
Data collected by: Miss Pema Choden, 2nd year BA Mass Communication student, Royal Thimphu College. |
