The Tibetan people view their spirituality
as a highly important aspect of life. According to a tradition
still practiced widely, every Tibetan family is required
to send at least one son to a local monastery for spiritual
education. Buddhism is the main religion practiced in
Tibet, and its yearly festivals are an integral part of
Tibetan social life. Pilgrims flock to the city of Lhasa,
which is the spiritual hub for many of this festival.
The most important festival in Tibet is the Tibetan New
Year, the importance of which equals that of Lunar New
Year among the Han people, or that of Christmas in the
West. The Tibetan New Year is a festival to say farewell
to the current year and welcome in the new. People begin
preparing for this festival upon entering the 12th Tibetan
month, with sacrifices being presented on the altar of
their deities and special foods delicately made to welcome
the coming year. New Year's Eve is also the time of the
highly important Ghost Exorcising Festival. During this
day, monasteries hold magnificent sorcerer's dances. Tibetans
tidy their houses and decorate them beautifully, with
the belief that the cleaning will drive away evil spirits
and bad luck. In the evening, after everybody has eaten
Guthuk (a kind of food for the New Year), it is time for
the ceremony of exorcising ghosts. Torches and fireworks
are lit to scare them off, and family members will walk
along a road until they reach a crossroad where they believing
they can abandon the evil spirits, the spirits being unable
of finding the way back to the dwelling they had occupied.
Then the New Year arrives. On the morning of the 1st day,
local people will make butter lamps to be sacrificed,
along with grain, to their gods. They will then don their
best clothes and propose toasts with Chang (a Tibetan
drink made from highland barley) to neighbors and exchange
good wishes and on the second day, they pay a New Year
visit to relatives. Usually, this festive event will last
until the end of the Great Prayer Festival.
Tibetan
New Year
Losar is the
Tibetan word for "New year." holds the
semantic field "year, age"; "new,
fresh". Losar is the most important holiday
in Tibet.
Losar is celebrated for 15 days, with the main celebrations
on the first three days. On the first day of Losar,
a beverage called changkol is made from chhaang
(a Tibetan cousin of beer). The second day of Losar
is known as King's Losar (gyalpo Losar). Losar is
traditionally preceded by the five day practice
of Vajrakilaya. It often falls on the same day as
the Chinese New Year (sometimes with one day or
occasionally with one lunar month difference).
It is said that Losar is start to celebrate in ancient
times when the peach tree was in blossom, it was
considered as the starting of a new year. Since
the systematization of the Tibetan calendar in 1027
A.D., The first day of the first month became fixed
as the New Year. On the New Year’s the families
unite “auspicious dinner" is offered
and the auspicious words “Tashi delek"
are greeted. It is the most colorful festival of
Lhasa.
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Monlam
(great prayer festival of Lhasa)
This is the greatest
religious festivals in Tibet. Instituted by Tsongkpa
in 1409, the founder of the Gelukpa sect. Monks
from the Three Great Monastery of Tibet assemble
in Jokhang for prayer to Shakyamuni`s image as if
it is were the living Buddha. Philosophizes. Pilgrims
come from every corner of Tibet and donations are
offered to the monks.
'Monlam' means 'Prayer' and at monasteries a great
Buddhist service is held and 'Cham' (Buddhist dances)
are performed. According to the legend, in the first
month of the year, Buddha conquered or converted
six holy men of false religions. From New Year's
Day until the end of 'Monlam', people continue to
eat, drink and make merry.
The Monlam Festival, lasting from the first to the
15th day of the first month of the lunar year, is
the largest religious gathering in Tibet. Tsongkhapa,
founder of the Yellow Sect introduced the festival,
in 1409, during the festival, lamas from the three
largest monasteries gather in the Jokhang, reciting
scriptures and attending an examination for the
Gexi degree.
The dates of the Great Prayer Festival (Smom-lam)
vary. For the three great Monasteries of Lhasa,
it is from the 4th to the 25th day in the first
month. For Taer (Ku-bum in Tibetan, i.e., ten thousands
images of Buddha) Monastery, it is form the 8th
to the 15th day of the first month. For Labrang
Monastery, it is from the the 3rd to the 17th day
of the first month.
This is the greatest religious activity for the
whole year. The Monasteries will conduct scripture
chanting, show the giant Buddha Thangkas, and perform
mask Tibetan opera. The people will gather together
to enjoy the shows; participate in the worshiping
in the nearby Monasteries. Some will even prostrate
step by step all the way to Lhasa.
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Saga
dawa festival (May or June)
The most important
festival for Tibetan, Buddisim Saka Dawa Festival
(15th day of the 4th lunar month), the 'Saka Dawa
Festival' commemorates Shakyamuni's Buddhahood and
the death of his mortal body. At every monastery
sutras are recited and 'Cham' dances are performed.
It is said that good deeds in the month of this
festival deserve 300 fold in return and this leads
many people to donate large sums to the religious
orders, monasteries and to the beggars that gather
at this time of year.People keep from killing animals,
refrain from eating meats and liberate animals.
Offering sacrifices to the female deity enshrined
in the temple on the islet of the Dragon King Pond,
boating in the pond and picnicking add more festive
mood. The Sakadawa festival is truly a celebration
that encompasses everyone into its fold casting
aside all barriers of nationality, religion or color.
In fact, being a part of this holy event is such
a moving experience that you come back with a deep
sense of inner satisfaction that stays with you
for a long time.
Trip highlight
• The greatest
festival of Tibet.
• Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
• The Sakadawa Festival, which begins on the
First Day of the Fourth Month of the Tibetan Calendar
and lasts one month.
• Saga Dawa is an important Tibetan Buddhist
festival..
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Gyantse horse race &
archery (May or June)
Horse race and
archery are generally popular in Tibet, and gyantse
enjoys prestige of being the earliest in history
by starting in 1408. Contests in early times included
horse race, archery, and shooting on gallop followed
by a few days' entertainment or picnicking. Presently
ball games, track and field events, folk songs and
dances, barter trade are in addition to the above.
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Changtang chachen horse
race festival - (10 august)
As the most important
festival in north Tibet during the golden season
on the grassland, thousand of herdsmen throng to
nakchu riding fine horses, and carrying the local
products. They form as city of tens south of nakchu
town. There will be thrilling horse race, archery
and demonstrations of horsemanship. Songs and dance
troupes from all part of Tibet will add to the fun.
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Shoton festival (august)
It is the opera
festival and the greatest festivals in Tibet. In
ancient times pious folks went into mountain hermitages
of which yoghurt was served for meal followed by
entertainment of folk songs and dances. Since 7th
century, opera performances were held for days in
norbu lingka. Presently, opera contests and distribution
of prizes are held for seven days.
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Ganden festival
On the 15th day
of the 6th Tibetan month, 25 precious articles belonging
to ganden monastery, which are normally locked in
their treasure house, are displayed in the main
shrine hall. A grand offering ceremony accompanies
the display. These articles consist of the images
of the sixteen arhats, akshobhya, the secret assembly,
the four great kings, the upasaka and hashang image.
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Harvest festival (September)
The farmers in
Lhasa, gyantse and shangnan to celebrating their
bumeer harvest in this time. During that time, people
enjoy with horse racing games, costume fashion show,
songs and dance archery and picnic etc.
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Bathing week
It is believed
when the sacred planet Venus appears in the sky;
the water in the river becomes purest and cures
diseases. During its appearance for one week in
the sky, all the people in Tibet go into the river
for bathing.
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