Festivals in Tibet

Tibetan New Year (February or March) It is the greatest festival in Tibet. In ancient times, when the peach tree was in blossom, it was considered the start of a new year. Since the systematization of the Tibetan calendar in 1027 AD., the first day of the first month became fixed as the new year. On New Year’s Day, families unite ” auspicious dipper is offered, and the auspicious words ” Tashi Delek” are greeted.

Butter Oil Lantern Festival (February or March) It’s held on the 15th of the first lunar month. Huge yak-butter sculptures are placed around Lhasa’s Barkhor circuit.

Saga Dawa Festival (May or June) It is the holiest in Tibet; their memorable occasions coincide on this day, Buddha’s birth and Buddha’s enlightenment. Almost every person within Lhasa joins in circumambulations around the city and spends their late afternoon on a picnic at ” Dzongyab Lukhang” park at the foot of Potala.

Festivals in Tibet

Gyantse Horse Race & Archery (May or June) Horse racing and archery are generally popular in Tibet, and Gyantse enjoys the prestige of being the earliest in history, starting in 1408. Contests in early times included horse races, archery, and shooting on gallop, followed by a few days’ entertainment or picnicking. Presently, ball games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, and barter trade are in addition to the above.

Changtang Chechen Horse Race Festival (August) There are many horse racing festivals in Tibet; the one in Nagqu of Northern Tibet is the greatest. August is the golden season on Northern Tibet’s vast grassland. Herdsmen, on their horseback, in colorful dresses, carrying tents and local products, pour into Nagqu. Soon, they form a city of tents. Various exciting programs are held, such as horse racing, yak racing, archery, horsemanship, and a commodity fair.

Festivals in Tibet

Shoton Festival (August) It is one of the major festivals in Tibet, also known as the Tibetan Opera Festival. The founder of the Gelugpa (Yellow Sect of Buddhism), Tsongkhapa, set the rule that Buddhists can cultivate themselves only indoors in summer, to avoid killing other creatures carelessly. Because creatures are most active in summer. This rule must be carried out until the seventh lunar month. Then Buddhists go outdoors, accept yogurt served by local people, and have fun. Since the middle of the 17th century, the Fifth Dalai Lama added opera performance to this festival. Famous Tibetan opera troupes perform in Norbulingka (the Dalai Lama’s summer palace).

Festivals in Tibet

Bathing Festival (September) It is believed that 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, usually the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth lunar months, all the people in Tibet go into the river to wash away the grime of the previous year.

Kung by Traditional Festival (November or December) Long, long ago, when Tibet was in danger of large-scale invasion, the Kongpo people sent out an army to defend their homeland. It was in September, and the soldiers worried that they might miss the New Year, highland barley wine, and other good things. So people had the Tibetan New Year on 1st October ahead of time. To memorize those brave soldiers Kongpo people present three sacrifices to stay up at night from then on. And now it has become the Kongpo Festival for entertainment like Kongpo dancing, horse racing, archery, and shooting.

Festivals in Tibet

Harvest Festival (September) The farmers in Lhasa, Gyantse, and Shangnan are celebrating their bumper harvest at this time. During that time, people enjoy horse racing games, custom fashion shows, songs, dance Archery, and picnics, etc.