| --- By Norbu Samphell
Losar, literally means "New Year" in Tibetan. It is the most important social festival of Tibet. Losar celebration begins on the first day of the first Tibetan month. It’s based on Lunar Calendar and is celebrated for several days following the first day.
This year, the Losar celebration falls on 28th February, 2006. This year will be 2133rd King’s year. This calculation is based on the enthronement day of the first King of Tibet, Nya-Tre Tsen-po, who had a legendary beginning. Consequently, Tibetans call every year as Bod Gyalo -Tibetan King’s year. King’s enthronement ceremony was made to coincide with the celebration of harvest and returned of the Sun, which was an already existing festival among ancient Tibetans. For Tibetans, Losar continues through the fifteenth day of the first Tibetan month. During those fifteen days of celebration, people invite and visit their relatives and friends. As time goes on, Losar atmosphere fades for people to resume their normal activity.
LAMA LOSAR: The first day of Losar is called Lama Losar. Although, Losar is a social festival, to a great extend, it too is influenced by deep religious devotion to Buddhism. Tibetans begin every task with expressions of faith and prayers to gods and deities, Losar is no exception to this general way of life. Most importantly, one’s own Dharma Teacher or Guru is specially remembered and respected on the first day of Losar celebration. While one visits one’s Dharma Guru with offerings, pays respect and greetings, they in turn will wish you peace, prosperity and progress in the years to come.
On one such early Losar morning, a man went to visit a hermit, who was meditating in a mountain cave. This sage was no longer aware of anything connected with the worldly ways. For him, everyday is the same as any other day.
The visitor entered the cave. He bowed and prostrated the Sage by threw the length of his body on the ground. He, then, reverently submitted his offerings before the sage.
The sage asked,"what are these for?"
"These are offerings for Your Holiness, today is the first day of Losar." Said the man respectfully.
The sage meditatively replied, "This is not a New Year actually, but passing away of a year from our life span. Our life is shorter by each passing moment. We are older and nearer to death by one year from today. Years fly before we could achieve anything worthwhile for our next life. Don’t we realize it?"
The man nodded with a grin... and ran his fingers humbly through his hair in response Well, any way, the sage was meditating on impermanence.
Losar celebration and visitations differ slightly from village to village and town to town in old Tibet. But Tibetans in exile residing in places other than Dharamsal, India, celebrate the first day of Losar with audience of the portrait of HH the Dalai Lama among others gods on their altar. Normally Dharamsala Tibetans get to see Him in real person during Losar.
Tibetans believe in blessings and good wishes of their spiritual teachers for success in any thing they do.
The family altar is be specially decorated, various offerings such as symbolic ritual cakes, cookies, candies, fruits, drinks and anything we could get are displayed and offered. Early in the morning every one puts on new and the best clothes and greets each one with Che-mar and Chang-Fue saying Tashi Delek to each other.
Tashi Delek is a general greeting, which means wish you good luck, or good day. On Losar day, these words assume special significance as we wish good luck for the entire year. Normally, people would prefer indoor celebration than to go out on first day, except to visit their Lamas and Teachers. It is family celebration with an air of religious fervor. Following the first day, people will get to the social and secular aspect of the celebration with much pomp and show.
KING LOSAR: The second day of Losar is called Gyalpo Losar.- King Losar. People pay their respect to the elders, leaders and above all to their rulers with greetings and offerings. Though Tibetans have many social elders, leaders, teachers and preachers, as with any other people, but one that unifies all Tibetans is:
The King is in the Guru
And the Guru is in the King.
He is the One,
Apple of one’s eye,
And the heart of one’s heart.
The successive reincarnation of Chen-rezeg,
The compassionate Dalai Lamas.
In whom Tibetans take refuge.
To whom Tibetans make offerings.
The benevolent and benign one.
The Supreme Guru of all Gurus,
The Supreme King of all Kings,
To Him they make their offerings,
And greetings from their heart.
CHOE-KYONG LOSAR: The third day of Losar is called Choe-kyong Losar - new year for the Dharma protectors. On this day, people go to hilltops or house roofs and hoist prayer flags, which are of five different colors symbolizing the five elements. They burn juniper leaves and incense mixed with che-mar and chang fue, and make offerings to gods and goddesses by bellowing smoke. With prayers, and chants they propitiate the deities for blessings and favors. People sing their glories aloud and remind them of their valor in defeating evil and safeguarding virtue. This process is called Sang-sol - smoke offering. Each person participating in Sang-sol says "Soe" loudly three times, and throw a handful of Che-mar in the air. While they throw chemar in open space above and beyond, they say Ke-Ke, So-So, Lha-Gyalo - victory to gods.
As the Sang-sol ends, picnicking, partying and merry making begins. People will be engaged in drinking, eating, joking, dancing, dicing, and cajoling for at least following ten - fifteen days. During this time of partying and visiting each other, of course, many marriages, engagements and matching makings take place.
CHO-NGA CHOPA: The 15th day of Losar coinciding with full moon day is a bigger religious festival. A special religious ceremony called Cho-Nga Cho-pa - offering on the fifteenth is performed on this day. Large and majestic butter sculptures are displayed for all to view. These sculptures are made by monks who specializes in these ritual arts. Each sculpture has s special religious significance. Finally, hundreds of butter lamps are lit every where in and around monasteries to signify the dispelling of darkness everywhere in the world.
This concludes the official end of Losar festival, but Losar mood lingers for a while with marriage ceremonies and parties as people return to their normal life style. |
