Losar Festival Ladakh is held on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. Losar means New Year in Tibet and the festival marks the beginning of a new year for Tibetans. Buddhists in Ladakh celebrate this festival by making religious offerings to their shrines or in the Gompas. The whole Tibetan community celebrates the festival by making festive food, visiting each other and indulging in cultural activities and rituals, if you take part in this festival during your Ladakh trip. Losar is a very special festival which draws people together.
Join the people of Tibet to celebrate the Losar Festival, which marks the beginning of the New Year as per the lunar Tibetan calendar and falls around February. The actual festival takes place for 3 days, but the celebrations continue for 15 days. Tibetans celebrate the festival by preparing festive food, visiting each other, performing in events and presenting gifts to Buddhist monks to show their gratitude.
The festival starts two days before the day of the new year and is known as Lama Losar when the Tibetans decorate their houses and gompas and prepare a grand feast. The second day is Gyalpo Losar or King’s Losar when people offer prayers in the monasteries and perform traditional rituals. On this day, they also burn firecrackers and fire torches at night. The final day of the new year is called Choe Kyong Losar or Losar Festival when they enjoy special food and participate in festivities.
Highlights
• Losar festival is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm by the people and it is the best time to witness the flavors of Tibetan culture.
• Colorful prayer flags decorate houses, monasteries and even the hills. Men, women, and children also wear their traditional attires.
• ‘Metho’, a traditional ceremony, is an important ritual where people come together hosting flaming torches and chanting sacred prayers parade through the streets to ward off evil and welcome positivity for the new year.
• A special nine dumpling soup, ‘Guthuk’ is prepared only on Losar and enjoyed together with family and friends.
• On Lama-Losar, the first day of the festival, ‘Changkoi’, a beer-based beverage is prepared and distributed among the people.
How To Reach
Best Time To Visit
The best time to experience the vibrant Losar Festival in Ladakh is typically in February or March, coinciding with the Tibetan New Year. Amidst colorful rituals, lively dances, and traditional music, locals celebrate the onset of the lunar new year with fervor. The festival offers a captivating insight into the rich cultural heritage of the region and is a must-see for travelers exploring Ladakh.
Other Essential Information
History
The Losar Festival, rooted in Tibetan Buddhist tradition, marks the Tibetan New Year. Originating centuries ago, it symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and welcomes the arrival of spring. In Ladakh, it's celebrated with cultural performances, prayers, and rituals, embodying the region's rich Tibetan heritage. Losar showcases unity, compassion, and the renewal of spiritual commitments, making it a cherished tradition in Ladakh.
Tips:
Best places to be a part of this annual celebration are Leh-Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling & Himachal Pradesh. The specific location for the festival is different every year.
The date of the festival is variable and changes every year as per the Tibetan calendar, so make sure you check the dates of upcoming Losar festival beforehand if you are planning to be a part of the festival.
You can purchase or rent the traditional attire from local vendors while participating in the Losar festival to feel like a part of the Tibetan culture and tradition.
Enjoy the festivities on the first three days of Losar
The first three days of Losar are the most significant, and considered to be of utmost importance during the tenure of 15 days of merry celebrations. Lama-Losar is the first day of the festival which marks the beginning of the customary rituals. People visit monasteries, pay respect to the Lamas and spend quality time with their families on Lama-Losar. On the second day, Gyalpo-Losar, official public celebrations such as the staged dance dramas along with other festivities. On the third day, known as Chokyong-Losar, prayer flags are hoisted around the houses and on the hills. Supplication prayers are also read on this day to pay tribute to the guardian deities.
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Witness the fascinating ‘Metho’ Ceremony
A famous ceremonial ritual that brings all the people of town together is held during the Losar festival. People carry torches and chant slogans to ward off evil from the streets as they parade through the town. If you plan your trip around the right dates you may get to witness this bewildering sight of people celebrating their faith and coming together. The torches are thrown away at the end of the ritual which marks the cleansing of evil and also symbolizes the welcome of good luck and positivity for the new year.
Try out traditional Tibetan delicacies
You get to try special preparations only around Losar festival such as ‘Changkoi’, which is a beer-based beverage and ‘Guthuk’, which is a special nine ingredient soup. ‘Chod-shom’ or the altars in every home, is offered with certain preparations such as ‘Derkha’ which is a pile of fried cookies called ‘khases’; this is a way of expressing gratitude towards the deities.
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Losar Festival FAQs
What is Losar?
Losar is a festival to celebrate the new year as per the Tibetan calendar; ‘Lo’ translates to ‘Year’ and ‘Sar’ to ‘New’ as per ‘Bodic’ language. It is a grand event with festivities that continue for 15 days and is of great significance for the Buddhist community.
When is Losar celebrated?
Losar is celebrated anywhere from the end of January to the beginning of March depending on when the Tibetan new year begins. It is a festival of great importance as it brings everyone together to celebrate the merry beginning of a new year.
In which states Losar is celebrated?
Leh-Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling & Himachal Pradesh are the places in India where Losar is celebrated.
What is Losar Tashi Delek?
Tashi delek, associated with Losar, is a Tibetan expression which is used as a greeting, to congratulate, and wish good-luck.
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What is special about Guthuk?
A special nine ingredient soup prepared around the time of Losar, in which special ingredients such as salt, rice, chili, charcoal, etc are hidden inside the dumplings. As per local beliefs, the white ingredients such as salt or rice symbolize good luck and whoever finds them in their food is considered to be lucky.
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