On 29 September 2025, His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen bestowed the Royal Dassai Tika, which was distributed to dzongkhags across Bhutan for families observing the festival.
In Samtse, the Royal Tika ceremony was held on 2 October at the Shivala Mandir, graced by the presence of the Dasho Dzongdag, Dzongrab, and GUPs of Samtse Dzongkhag.
Similar ceremonies were also conducted in the two drungkhags and across the gewogs of the dzongkhag.
Dassai is the most significant festival for the Hindu community in Bhutan, celebrated over ten days with prayers in temples throughout the country. The festival culminates on the 10th day with the tika ritual, when elders bless younger family members by applying tika made of rice, yogurt, and vermilion.
The Royal Dassai Tika carries profound national significance, symbolizing the blessings and protection of the Druk Gyalpo upon the people, and is a cherished tradition observed with deep reverence across the Kingdom.
