Losar Festival in Ladakh
Posted on 04. Jan, 2012 by Thrillchimp in Adventure, Destinations, Ladakh
Losar Festiva in Ladakh
The Losar Festival is a spectacular festival celebrated in Ladakh/Tibet, ushering in the New Year and is the most important festivity in this region. The Ladakhi Buddhists celebrate it by making religious offerings to their deities, both in gompas and in their domestic shrines. The festival is marked with a variety of ancient rituals, cultural events and traditional performances. From stage fights between good & evil, chanting and passing through the crowds with fire torches to dance of the Ibex deer and the dramatic battles between the King and his ministers, the celebrations have it all! Energetic music filling the air, dancing, merry-making by the enthusiastic on lookers and feasting together with friends and relatives add to the joyous atmosphere! This important festival changes their location & dates every year.
History of Losar festival:
The celebration of Losar can be traced back to the pre-Buddhist Bon period in Tibet. In this ancient tradition, every winter a spiritual ceremony was held, in which people offered large quantities of incense to pacify the local spirits and deities. This religious festival later evolved into an annual Buddhist festival which is believed to have originated during the reign of Pude Gungyal, the ninth King of Tibet.
Preparations for the Festival:
Way before the most awaited festival begins, the locals dive into the preparations needed for the celebrations. Lots of planning and rehearsals go into the performances of the festivities. People clean their houses and discard all old and unused items to ward off all evil things from life and escort wellness and prosperity of the family.
In the monasteries it is a day of preparations. The finest decorations are put up and elaborate offerings are made called “Lama Losar”.
How the festivities unfold:
In the early dawn of this day, the monks of Namgyal Monastery offer religious offerings to the supreme hierarchy of Dharma protectors, the glorious goddess Palden Lhamo. Led by the Dalai Lama, every onlooker joins the ceremony and offers their prayers, while the monks of Namgyal Monastery recite the invocation of Palden Lhamo.
The second day of Losar is reserved for a secular gathering in the hall of Excellence of Samsara and Nirvana and hence this day is known as King’s Losar. His Holiness and his government exchange greetings with dignitaries, such as representatives of China, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Mongolia and other foreign visitors.
From the third day onwards, the people and monks begin to celebrate and enjoy the festive season.
The festival dates and duration:
The vibrant celebrations last for 15 days during January to March, depending on the Lunar calendar. In 2012, the Losar Festival will be on Feb 22, 2012.
It is not too late to plan your holiday to Ladakh to experience this unique and colourful festival of Losar. Alongside, enjoy rafting, yak safari and trekking along the snow capped mountains in Leh. Let Thrillophilia help you plan your dream holiday to this mesmerizing land.
