Losar, Tibetan New Year, begins on February 14th with prayer & community gatherings across the globe
| Westerners who joked they were glad to see 2009 gone, hoping for a better 2010, may find kindred spirits in the Tibetans this month. Though on the traditional Tibetan calendar it is 2136 being bid a fond farewell to and 2137 being greeted. Losar, the Tibetan New Year, will begin on February 14th with celebrations by Tibetan communities across the globe and will culminate with Tibet House’s XX Annual Benefit Concert At Carnegie Hall on February 26th, 2010. The Tibetan calendar is based on a lunar cycle of 60 years; it consists of 12 animals (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Donkey, Bird, Dog and Hog), which are then combined with the 5 elements (water, wood, fire, earth and iron) and two aspects (male and female). 2010 is the year of the male iron tiger (lcags-pho stag-lo) under Tibetan astrology. Tibetan systems of knowledge are inter related and the astrological calendar system is deeply tied to its comprehensive medical diagnostic methodology. Losar activities center on ushering out the old, purifying, and welcoming the new. The celebration can last between three and 14 days. The first three days of Losar are divided between giving thanks to both symbolic & material individuals locally, regionally & nationally. From elaborate food offerings made on home shrines to public festivals it is a time to display gratitude for the past year and hopes of the next to friends, family, deities and religious figures alike. The monastic community cleans and decorates the monasteries and performs special rituals evoking protective deities. The lay community embraces purification for the New Year; in the days before, new clothes are made or purchased, houses are cleaned (sometimes repainted) and decorated and new prayer flags (Tib. Lungta) are raised. The first day of Losar is traditionally spent with immediate family. Celebrants wear their new garments to signify a new beginning. There are special dishes and treats such as phagthuk and khapse, and lots of chaang – a beverage similar to beer. There are prayers in the home for purification, and for an auspicious new year. Juniper incense is burned and small amounts of barley flour (Tib. Tsampa) are thrown into the air to ensure successful livelihoods and crops. The second day tends to be when public festivals occur and the third ends with burning of traditional butter lamps. Here are some different prayer events organized by different Tibetan associations in the US:
New York City: The Tibetan Community of NY and NJ Boston, MA: Tibetan Association of Boston Seattle, WA: Tibetan Association of Washingtion
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"I will be with some of my Tibetan friends and students from Tibetan Children’s Village. When I was a child in Amdo, we spent the entire day eating, visiting with family, receiving gifts and playing with friends.” Tamding, Artist, Dharamsala
“I will be with my close friends and family, eating special rice, momos and vegetables. On the first day, many people will be at temple by 3 am. In Tibet, Losar is celebrated for 14 days, in exile it is only celebrated for three.” Tashi (artist), Dharamsala
"In India, we would go to the monasteries, wear new clothes, visit family and celebrate. My family would have an extensive prayer and ritual ceremony the first day of Losar, usually conducted by my father or my late grandfather.” Shenpenn (Film maker, musician), Toronto |
Written by freelance writer Heidi Minx
For more information please visit: www.builtonrespect.com
