Losar is the name for 2012 Tibetan New Year. Tibet celebrates the New Year in a very traditional way. This day of the New Year is the most important day in Tibet. It is a 15 day long program and the first three days are the most important. As a part of the 2012 Tibetan New Year a beverage called changkol will be made. The second day is known as the King’s Losar. The Tibetan culture follows the lunar calendar and according they celebrate the New Year. The Tibetan New Year is also celebrated along with the Chinese New Year. Several other communities and culture celebrates the Tibetan New Year; the cultures are Yolmo, Sherpa and Bhutanese.
There is an interesting story behind the New Year celebration in Tibet. History says that there was a woman who taught the calculation of time based on the movement of the moon. Since then the Tibetans depend on the lunar calendar. The woman was called Belma. With the introduction of time, the Tibetans started celebrating the New Year too. Earlier the celebration took place with flowering of the apricot tree. New Year was symbolized with cultivation, irrigation, refining iron from ore and building bridges.

The 2012 Tibetan New Year is the time to say goodbye to the last year and welcome the New Year. The celebration for the New Year starts on the last day of the year and continues further. The New Year’s Eve and the day of the New Year are both very important in the Tibetan culture. It is the time to meet the elder members of the family. Special dishes are cooked. Tribute to Dalai Lama is paid during the New Year.

A special noodle with different ingredients and dried cheese called guthuk is made during the New Year. The other special dishes made during the New Year in Tibet are:

• Tibetan Potato Curry (Xiangzhai)
• Rice and Potato Stew (Droma)
• Sweet Saffron Rice (Dresi)
• Kapse Fritters
• Tibetan New Year’s Eve Soup with Dumplings (Guthuk)

Tibetan Holiday

The list below mentions the major holidays in the Tibetan calendar:

February: Chinese New Year
• Parinirvana, or Nirvana Day (Mahayana)
• Magha Puja (Sangha Day, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia)
March: Losar (Tibetan New Year))
• Magha Puja (Sangha Day)
April: Hanamatsuri (Buddha's Birthday, Japan)
• Water Festivals (Bun Pi Mai, Sonkran)
May: Seokga Tansinil (Buddha's Birthday, South Korea)
• Vesak (Buddha's birth, Enlightenment and Death, Theravada)
June: Saga Dawa Duchen (Birth, Enlightenment & Death of Buddha, Tibet) July: Obon (Japan, regional)
• Asalha Puja; Beginning of Vassa (Theravada)
August: Chokhor Duchen (Tibet)
• Obon (Japan, regional)
• Zhongyuan (Hungry Ghost Festival, China)
October: Pavarana and End of Vassa (Theravada) November: Lhabab Duchen (Tibet) December: Rohatsu (Enlightenment of the Buddha, Japan)

All holidays in Tibet are celebrated with glory. The festivals are celebrated to bring good luck and hope in the community.

The New Years’ Day in Tibet

Tibetans wait for the New Years’ day to enjoy and pray. On this special day all Tibetans get up early and take bath. Further, they wear new clothes on this day to mark the occasion. The New Year time is the time to give offerings to God. On this day the young ones visit the elder ones in the family. The get together is mandatory during this time of the year.

There are few other festivals which are celebrated in Tibet. The festivals bring the joy and hope to the people. The other festivals celebrated in Tibet are:

• Monlam the Prayer festival: The word Monlam means prayer. This is the perfect time to offer prayer to lord Buddha. The festival starts during the New Year and ends within a month. People are engaged in eating, drinking and merry making during this time of the year.
• Chunga Choepa is the festival for memorial service. This festival is also called the Butter Lamp Festival.
• Tibetan Uprising Day: This day is dedicated for people’s uprising in Lhasa and this day is celebrated in March.
• Saka Dawa festival: It is the most important festival in Tibet. This day commemorates the Buddha hood of Shakyamuni and his death.

Few other festivals are:

• Horse Racing Festival in Gyantse
• The Unveiling of the Great Thangka at Tashilhunpo Monastery
• Birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama
• Zamling Chisang
• Choekhor Duechen
• Guru Tsechu
• Zhoton
• Bathing Festival
• Horse Racing Festival at Damzhung
• Harvest Festival
• Labab Duechen
• Palden Lhamo Festival
• Ngachu Chenmo

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