Sharchop

Sharchop, also known as Tshangla or Sharchhopka, designates both the Sharchop people of eastern Bhutan and the language they speak. The ethnonym is derived from Dzongkha, often translated as “people of the east.” The language is typically called Tshangla or Sharchopkha and is a Bodish language within the Tibeto-Burman family. It is spoken mainly in eastern Bhutan and by communities across the border in adjacent Indian districts such as Arunachal Pradesh, with several regional dialects.

Sharchop serves as a primary means of everyday communication in many eastern districts, while Dzongkha holds official status as Bhutan’s national language and is used in government and schooling. The language uses the Tibetan script for writing, with standardized orthographies developed for education and literature; local writers also employ romanization in informal contexts. Mutual intelligibility varies among its dialects, reflecting geographic and social diversity across the eastern region.

Culturally, the Sharchop people form a significant component of Bhutan’s eastern cultural landscape. They practice Buddhism, often alongside animist and folk traditions, and observe traditional festivals such as tshechu. Distinct customary attire and agricultural practices characterize rural communities, and oral literature, music, and crafts preserve regional identity.

References to the Sharchop appear in ethnolinguistic studies and government census materials related to Bhutan and cross-border populations in northeast India.