Bhutanese communities developed a diverse range of unique local festivals. These festivals are mostly propitiation of local dieties and spirits and celebrations of agricultural harvests. Some festivals involve professional shamans while others are performed by any priest. Many involve symbols of fertility and vulgar humour. Some are performed annually while others take place only once in many years. They are generally labelled as Bon rituals but have no relation to the organised Bon religion. Some entailed animal sacrifices although with gradual Buddhicization, the sacrifices of living animals have been substituted with dough effigies. Many of these local festivals have been discontinued as the rural villages become increasingly vacant.