A drupchen is a ritual meditation and group practice performed 24 hours a day for 7 days around an elaborate mandala surrounded by beautiful offerings. Ideally, a drupchen is practiced in a retreat situation and is led by a vajra master together with several lamas and a group of monks and yogis. The participants practice together during the day sessions and take shifts during the night so that there is a never-ending flow of mantra recitation and meditation practice. As was the case at Lembrun in 2017, the performance of a drupchen is sometimes associated with the preparation and consecration of “mendrup”, a powerful blend of medicinal plants and sacred substances.
This drupchen, the Tukdrup Parche Kunsal (‘Essential Sadhana that Removes all Obstacles’), an important terma or spiritual treasure revealed by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa, was performed at Lembrun, France in April 2017, by Neten Choling Rinpoche, Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoche and the lamas and monks of Pema Ewam Chögar Gyurme Ling (Bir, India) at the request of Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche, Tsetrul Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, and Rangdrol Rinpoche.