|
Tibetan New Year Loshar (February or March)
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 AD., the first
day of the first month became fixed as the
new year. On the New Year's day, families
unite " auspicious dipper" is offered and
the auspicious words " tashi delek" are
greeted.
Butter Oil Lantern Festival (February or
March)
This festival is held on the 15th day of the
first month of the Tibet year. During the
festival, lamas from various monasteries and
folk artists make colorful buttered
sculptures in the shapes of flowers,
immortals, figures, birds and animals.
They hang these sculptures onto the flower
frames in the Jokhang Monastery. In the
evening, they ignite these butter oil lamps.
During the festival, there are puppet
performances.
Saga Dawa Festival (May or June)
Also known as the Festival for Releasing
Living Things, during this festival, Tibetan
people do not eat meat and kill any living
things in the fourth month of the Tibetan
year in order to concentrate their efforts
on worshipping. A legend says on the 15th
day of the fourth month of the Tibetan year
Sakyamuni was born, became a Buddha and
died.
On this day each year, the people will dress
in their splendid attire and sing and dance
and have a picnic or gathering in Lingka.
Gyantse Horse Race & Archery (May or
June)
Horse race and archert 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
picnicing. Presently, ball games, track and
field events, folk songs and dances, barter
trade are in addition to the above.
Changtang Chachen Horse Race Festival
(August)
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.
Shoton Festival (August)
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. Because creatures are
most active in summer. This rule must be
carried out till the seventh lunar month.
Then Buddhists go outdoor, accept yoghurt
served by local people, and have fun. Since
the middle of 17th century, the Fifth Dalai
Lama added opera performance to this
festival. Famous Tibetan opera troupes
perform in Norbulingka (Dalai Lama's summer
palace).
Bathing Festival (September)
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.
Kungbu Traditional Festival (November or
December)
Long long ago, when Tibet was in danger of
large scale invasion, the Kongpo people sent
out an army to defend their homeland. It was
in September and the soldiers worried that
they might miss the New Year, highland
barley wine and other good things. So people
had the Tibetan New Year on 1st October
ahead of time. To memorize those brave
soldiers Kongpo people present three
sacrifices an stay up at night from then on.
And now it has become the Kongpo Festival
for entertainment like Kongpo dancing, horse
race, archery and shooting.
Harvest Festival (September)
The farmers in Lhasa, Gyantse and Shangnan
to celebrating their bumer harvest in this
time. During that time, people enjoy with
horse racing games, custom fashion show,
songs and dance Archery and picnic etc.
|
