Gyalpo Lhosar is the celebration of Tibetan New Year. Nepal is a unification of several diversities, these diversities are not adversities but an identity of a common platform of nationality. Losar exhibits the rare culture of Tibetan and the values of Buddhism to the world, among three Lhosars celebrated in Nepal, Gyalpo Lhosar is regarded as Tibetan New Year. Tibet and other neighboring nations prepare for this day in their own way; Lo means year and Shar means new so jointly it forms a New Year. The calendar has a cycle of 12 years named after mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog and boar
According to mythology, the Losar was first celebrated when an old woman named Belma introduced moon based time measurement. People went to the local spring to perform rituals of gratitude and offerings were made to the Nagas (the snake god), or water spirits, who activated the water element in the area, and smoke offerings were made to the local spirits associated with the natural world. Gyalpo Lhosar was celebrated as a spring festival from the reign of Pude Gungyal, the ninth emperor of Tibet.
Gyalpo Lhosar, New Year festival celebrated in Sherpa community of Nepal, Sikkim and Darjeeling regions of India. This Lhosar is celebrated in Nepal mostly by Sherpa, Tamang, Bhutia and Yolmo. Different communities and different places have their own way of celebration. The festival is celebrated every year from Falgun Shukla Pratipada, the second day of the waxing moon until the full moon.
Sherpa community are celebrating 2149th Gyalpo Lhosar this year by exchanging greetings, cleaning houses, alleys, water resources and eating Guthuk, the mixed delicacies of nine different food items. This festival is taken as an opportunity that fosters a social harmony, reunion and reconciliation among the kith and kin and family members.
Gyalpo Losar is celebrated for 15 days, with the main celebrations being observed on the first three days. On the first day, a beverage called changkol is made from chhaang (a Tibetan beer). The second day is known as King’s Losar (Gyalpo Losar) while on the third day people get together and have feasts with traditional music and dancing.
Traditional dishes are served during the festival. One of the main dishes is a soup called Gutung cooked with nine kinds of beans and meat, wheat, rice, sweet potato, cheese, peas, green pepper, vermicelli noodles and radish. The soup is served with dumpling. Khapse, a deep-fried pastry commonly eaten during, symbolizes the start of holiday celebrations. Firecrackers are fired to get rid of ill spirits
Sherpas across the country are celebrating this festival by organizing programs and sharing greeting and wishes over the social media, today.
Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Tudikhel and various monasteries are filled with people in their traditional dress and several communal activities can be seen. Lhosar is not just for Tibetan people or concerned community, Lhosar is an identification of civilization, Lhosar is an expression of love and compassion. I would prescribe everyone to once visit monasteries or celebration spots and observe the culture of local native people, the culture of Himalayas and the civilization from altitudes.
Buddhist Monasteries across the globe organize sacred praying events in this day, these prayers translate the love and compassion of Buddha into this globe. This day, Monks also pray for the universal brotherhood and equality adjoining to world peace. Buddhist people visit monasteries and receive blessings from “Rinpoche” and also from elder members of their family. There are also traditional dance ceremonies in the community, these dances and a song narrates the story, myths and legends. Among these dances, a traditional dance narrating a survival story of a deer from a king is very famous. The Tibetan year calendar counting is made on the base of 12 different animals, starting from rat and concluding with Boar. This year 2020 is the year of Rat, Rat’s year is considered very special and auspicious. May all your desires and destinations are accomplished, May world be decorated with peace within and out, may all be healthy and may all smiles sustain.
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