矿etan New Year, also known asLosar, is the most important festival for矿etan peopleand it is celebrated in many areas of western China (Tibet, Shangri-La, Jiuzhaigou…), Nepal, Bhutan, and northern India.
The festival celebrates thebeginning of a new yearon the Tibetan calendar.
Decided by the矿etan lunisolar calendar,the date of Tibetan New Year always falls on a new moon in the first twosolar terms— fromFebruary 5toMarch 5. In 2024, Tibetan New Year falls onFebruary 10th.
Thecelebrationsof Tibetan New Year traditionally span from the last2 daysof the old year to the3rd dayof the new year (Feb. 8th to 12nd in 2024).
矿etan New Year is Called Losar
Losaris a Tibetan word that means New Year. The word is composed of two characters:loandsar.Lo means 'year' and sar means 'new'.
Thecelebration of Losarcan be traced back to the Tibetan pre-Buddhist period (127 BC – 629 AD). At that time Tibetans were followers of theBon religionand held a spiritual ceremony every winter.
During the ceremonies, peopleburnt a large quantity of incenseto appease local spirits, deities, and protectors. Later this religious festival developed into an annual矿etan Buddhist festival.
矿etan New Year Traditions
Traditionally, thecelebrationof Tibetan New Yearlasts 5 daysstarting from the penultimate day of the old year and finishing on the third day of the new year.
The main activities include1) cleaning the house,2) eating reunion dinner,3) exorcising ghosts,4) offering sacrifices,5) fetching water,6) visiting neighbors,7) hanging prayer flags, and8) burning pine branches.
1) Spring Cleaning before Tibetan New Year's Day
During thelast 2 daysof the old year, people begin to准备for Tibetan New Year.
矿etan people give their houses a thorough cleaning before the New Year, which symbolizessweeping away the bad luckof the preceding year and making their homes ready toreceive good luck.
Thekitchen, especially, must be cleaned because this is where food is prepared, and hence is the most important part of the house.
2) Enjoying a Reunion Dinner for Tibetan New Year's Eve
On矿etan New Year's Eve, families dress up and have a New Year'sEve dinnerto welcome the arrival of the new year together, which is similar in spirit to the Han (the majority Chinese ethnicity)Chinese New Yearfeast.
Big families of several generations sit around round tables and enjoy the food and time together.
3) Exorcising Ghosts
After the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, Tibetan people have a short ceremony fordriving away evil spirits. During the ceremony, people walk the house holding a torch, while shouting, 'get out'. Its purpose is to drive out the bad luck from their houses.
4) Offering Sacrifices to Gods
On TibetanNew Year's Day, Tibetans get up early and put on new clothes after having taken a bath. They thenworship the godsby placing offerings in the front of their household shrines.
Theofferingsusually consist of animals and demons made from a kind of dough calledchemar(a box of wheat and highland barley flour that can be made into tsampa).
5) Fetching the New Year's First Bucket of Water
Traditionally, on thefirst dayof the new year, the women will get up very early tofetch the year's first bucket of waterfrom a nearby river. The first bucket of water from the river/well is believed to be blessed with好luckfor the coming year.
6) Visiting Relatives and Friends
From thesecond dayof Losar, Tibetan people begin tovisit their relativesand friends carrying their gifts.
When Tibetan people meet, they firstly say "zasidler" ('good luck and happiness) to each other and then exchangehada(white ceremonial scarfs) to express their blessings.
When paying a Tibetan New Year visit, a simple ceremonyis followed towelcome the guests' visit.
The host meets his guests with a chemar (a box tsampa flour) in his hand, then pinches a little roasted barley flour from thechemarwith his thumb and index finger and sprinkles it in the air three times, and then puts some of the tsampa in his mouth.
7) Hanging Praying Flags
During the Tibetan New Year period, usuallyon the third day, Tibetan people choose a lucky hour tohang prayer flagson their rooftops to pray for a bumper harvest, good luck, and prosperity in the new year.
On that day, all family members are dressed up and gather on the top of their house to enjoy the happy activity.
Praying flagsare made up of many colorful triangular flags bound on a rope. Thecolors of the flagsare always arranged in sequence: blue, white, red, green, then yellow.
Eachcolorsymbolizes a natural element:bluefor the sky,whitefor clouds,redfor fire,greenfor water, andyellowfor soil.
Hanging prayer flags is also a way toshow their respect to these five elementsin nature, which are believed to be the material basis of Tibetan people's lives.
8) Burning Pine Tree Branches — Wei Sang
Wei Sangis one of the most important ceremonies of the Tibetan New Year. It can take place in local monasteries or at home. A stove is used for burning the pine tree branches whether in the monasteries or in locals' houses.
During the burning, peoplechant Buddhism scriptures,adding cypress branchesand barley powder to the fires. The smoke from the burning fire, sooths and comfort the devoted Tibet people, who believe this act incurs a blessing from the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
矿etan New Year Food and Drink
The foods served during Tibetan New Year are traditionally dominated byvarious pastriesand noodles. Themust-eatfood for Tibetan New Year isguthuk('nine dumpling soup'). Theguthuksoup contains various ingredients includingdried cheeseandvarious grains.
Other common矿etan New Year foodsincludekhapse(fried pastries),droma dresil(sweet rice), andchang(highland barley wine). Tibetan eat these foods not only for their wholesome, warming taste but also for their symbolic meanings.
1. Guthuk ('Nine Dumpling Soup')
Thismust-eat foodfor Tibetan New Year is a kind of dumpling soup. When makingguthuk, apart from normal ingredients like dough for the wrapper, meat, and garlic or onion, someinteresting elementsare wrapped inside, such as chili, wool, salt, rice, or charcoal.
Does this sound crazy? It has arich symbolic meaning... If white-colored ingredients such as salt or rice are found hidden in the dough, it is believed to be a good sign.
If someone findscoalin his dumpling, it has the same meaning as finding coal in a Christmas stocking: it means the person has been bad or "black-hearted", and he/she is forced to drink wine as a punishment.
2. Khapse (Fried Pastries)
These deep-fried pastries are most commonly eaten and offered during the Tibetan New Year period. Makingkhapseis an important activity during the preparation period for Tibetan New Year.
Before Tibetan New Year's Day,making khapsecan be a pretext for a family party, and family members make arrangements for making khapse together. Itsymbolizesabundant food and a sweet life for the family in the coming new year.
3. Droma Dresil (Sweet Rice)
Droma dresil is rice mixed with dry fruit, butter, and sugar and is consideredauspicious ricethat should be served at thereunion dinnerfor Tibetan New Year. Droma dresil is usually served by the eldest child in the family.
Wheneating droma dresil, Tibetan people pinch a few grains of rice and sprinkle them into the air, which is a symbolic offering to their gods. Then they put some droma dresil into their mouths whilst saying certain words of blessing.
4. Chang (Mild Barley Wine)
Chang is矿etans' low alcohol winemade from barley. In the morning, on the first day of Tibetan New Year, every Tibetan family cooks a bowl of chang mixed with brown sugar in preparation for their guests' visits.
When guests arrive, a cup ofchangis offered to warm them up.
矿etan New Year Greetings
When you travel to Tibet during Tibetan New Year, you can say "Tashi Delek" to Tibetan people, which means '好luck and happiness'.
Next to Tashi Delek, the most popular greeting is "Losar sang". Tibetan New Year is known as Losar in Tibetan: lo means 'year' and sar means 'new'. Losar sang literally means 'happy New Year'.
When paying a New Year's visit to a family, people alwaysexpress their best wishes to the hostess first, saying "Ama badro kunkham sang", which means 'Wishing the hostess health and longevity'.
在西藏,女性扮演着重要的角色in the family, so they are always respected and greeted first.
Experience Tibetan Festivals with Us in Tibet and Surrounding Areas
矿et is usually closed to foreign tourists during the Tibetan New Year period.Shoton Festivalin summer, one of the most important festivals in Tibet, is also worth seeing. Contact us to create a Tibet tour.
