Losar is the Tibetan/Sherpa word for “new year.” The most important holiday in Tibet falls during this period. Losar is celebrated for 15 days, without counting the preparatory period, with the main celebrations occurring on the first three days. The Tibetan calendar has twelve lunar months, and Losar begins on the first day of the first month.
The last day of the 12th month of the year is a time to clean up and create an atmosphere to welcome the New Year. The monasteries perform a special ritual with mask dances to expel negative forces. The custom of this day is to make a special soup called ‘guthuk’ in every household and monastic community. It is prepared with nine different ingredients, including dried cheese and various grains. In the guthuk, a ball of dumplings with different ingredients hidden in them, such as salt, chilly, rice, wool, and coal, is added for each family member. The elements hidden in them are supposed to be a light-hearted comment on one’s character, which makes the dining time of laughter and jokes. Those who find chilly in their dumpling, for instance, are talkative. White-coloured ingredients, such as wool or rice, are considered a good sign.
In the evening, after having guthuk soup, everyone in the family collects some of their guthuk, a piece of fingernail, a strand of hair, used clothes, and some money. Then, they perform a special ritual of throwing them away at a nearby crossroad. This expelling of all negative forces in one’s body, mind, and household marks the end of the year.
Losar begins on the first day of the first month by rising very early and collecting water from nearby springs. One person from each household visits the springs with an offering of khapse (a special kind of cookie prepared for Losar), incense, khata (a ceremonial scarf), and other items. The offerings are to the nagas, the water spirits who activate the water element in the area.
A pot of water from each spring visited is brought and offered to the deities at home. The leftover water is collected in a large water pot for good fortune. Afterwards, all family members gather in their best dresses, consume chhimar, khapse, and changgol, and receive blessings from elders.
On the third day, a great gathering of Sherpas, Tibetans, Tamangs, Gurungs, and other groups celebrating the Lhosar takes place at Boudhanath Stupa to celebrate the Lhapso (New Year offering to the gods) and exchange the traditional greeting of “Tashi Delek.”
From the third day onwards, households and communities celebrate and enjoy the festive season more informally. People organise picnics, invite relatives and friends, and visit elders and monasteries.
The Gyalpo Losar (King’s Losar) is celebrated in the Himalayas of Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal and India. The Tamangs of Nepal celebrate the Sonam Losar one month earlier. According to the myth, the certain king could not return in time from war, so his people did not rejoice and kept waiting for his arrival. However, a group of celebrants did not wait for the king, and this became the Sonam Losar. The group that celebrated Losar after the return of the king gave rise to Gyalpo Losar.
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