Lhosar is the festival that presents the tradition, culture & values of Buddhist & Tibetan community to the world. The term Lhosar is derived from two words Lo, meaning year and Sar, meaning new.
Gyalpo Lhosar, the Tibetan New Year, is a three-day festival that mixes sacred and secular practices, prayers, ceremonies, hanging prayer flags, sacred and folk dancing, and partying. On the first day a beverage called “changkol” (a Tibetan cousin of beer). The second day is called Gyalpo Lhosar (King’s Lhosar). This is the main New Year Day. And on the third day people get together and have feasts.
Before the New Year, bad memories from the old year must be chased away, so houses are thoroughly cleaned and decorated with fragrant flowers. Quarrels are resolved, new clothes are obtained, special dishes are cooked such as Khapse (fried twists). One of the most special dishes is soup called Gutung. This soup is made from meat, wheat, rice, sweet potato, cheese, peas, green pepper, vermicelli noodles and radish.
Lhosar is the most widely celebrated of all Tibetan festivals and represents a time for all things to be purified and renewed. People get together at stupa & monasteries wearing their traditional dress to continue the celebration. People chant mantras and give gifts to the monks. Firecrackers are fired to get rid of ill spirits. This is the time of merrymaking, with feast and dances.
