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Festivals
in Tibet :
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Tibetan festivals are held according to the
Tibetan lunnar calendar, which usually lags
at least a month behind Gregorian calendar.
The following are just some of the more
important festivals:
Tibetan festivals in 2009 ( By Gregorian
calendar) |
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Festivals' Name |
In Year 2009 |
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Tibetan New Year |
Feb. 25 |
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Butter Lamp
Festival |
Mar. 10 |
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Saga Dawa
festival |
May. 25 - Jun. 7 |
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Gyantse
Horse-racing
Festival |
July |
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Tashilhunpo
Festival |
June 30- Jul. 2 |
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Samye Festival |
Jul. 7-8 |
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Ganden Festival |
Aug.5 |
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Shoton Festival |
Aug. 20 -26 |
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Bathing Festival |
Sep. |
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Nagqu
Horse-racing
Festival |
Aug.10 - Aug.16 |
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Tsongkhapa
Festival (held
in Ganden,Sera &
Drepung) |
Dec. 11 |
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February / March : |
Tibetan New Year ( Losar)
It is the greatest festival
in Tibet. 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. There are
performances of Tibetan
drama and pilgrims making
incense offering, the
streets are thronged with
Tibetans dressed in their
finest. It is the most
colorful festival of Lhasa.
Butter Lamp Festival (
Lartern Festival)
The Butter Lamp Festival is
celebrated on the 15th of
the first month every year.
Monks from monasteries and
local artists make
various-shaped butter
flowers with colored butter
in pyramids in front the
Jokhang Temple. In the
evening, after the butter
lamps are lit, their lights
look just like stars
dazzling in the sky. The
pyramids made of butter
include of immortals,
animals, flying birds,
beasts, and flowers. |
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May
/June : |
Saga Dawa Festival
It is called'�the festival
to free captive animals' in
local custom. Through the
whole fourth month, monks
don't eat meat and don't
commit slaughter. They only
concentrate themselves on
turning prayer wheels and
reciting Buddha's
scriptures. It is said that
on the 1st of the fourth
month is the day that
Shakyamuni was born, became
enlightened and achieved
nirvana. And you will see
large numbers of pilgrims at
Lhasa's Jokhang, on the
Barkor circuit and also
Mt.Kailash. |
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June
/July : |
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Gyantse Horse-racing
Festival
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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August/September |
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Mountian Worship Festival
The holy mountain festival
begins on the fourth day of
the sixth Tibetan month and
commemorates Sakyamuni�s
(Buddha�s) first sermon.
People go to monasteries to
pay their respects to the
Buddha. Circumambulation
around the mountains is a
very popular practice during
the festival. Picnicking,
singing and dancing are also
part of the event.
Mt.Kailash is a very popular
journey at this stage.
Shoton Festival
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
indoor in summer, to avoid
killing other creatures
carelessly. This rule must
be carried out till the
seventh lunar month. Then
Buddhists go outdoors,
accept yoghurt served by
local people, and have fun.
During the period, giant
Thangkas of the Buddha is
displayed at Drepung
Monastery and Sera Monastery
on the first day, operas and
masked dances are held at
Norbulingka. |
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September/October |
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Bathing Festival
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,
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.
Nagqu Horse-racing
Festival
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 horsebacks, 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 commodity
fair.
The Onkor ( Harvest
Festival)
It is celebrated when the
crops ripen, usually the
first week of August. The
festival is observed only in
farming villages. People
walk around their fields to
thank the gods and deities
for a good year�s harvest.
Singing, dancing, and horse
racing are indispensable
folk activities. |
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