The Lhosar festival is celebrated by communities who believe in different types of Buddhism, Bon, and Kirant religions. This is a very big festival. These communities celebrate Lhosar as a new year in their original/Lunar calendar. Especially the Buddhist communities living in the Himalayan and hilly areas celebrate Lhosar grandly. It is customary to celebrate this festival, especially in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and other countries. Due to increasing globalization, people spread across the world have started celebrating different types of Lhosar festivals.
Lhosar Meaning
Lhosar is mainly composed of two words. These are “lho” and “Sar”. “Lho” means “Year” and “Sar” means “New”. What we can understand from this is that Lhosar is the time when any old year ends and the New Year begins. Every community celebrating Lhosar uses 12 different animals as a reflection of the year. And, the turn of each animal repeats after 12 years.
Nepal is a country full of religious, cultural and festivals. Hundreds of people of caste, colour, class and society live here. They celebrate many kinds of festivals. Lhosar is one of them. Tamang, Sherpa, Hyolmo, Ghale, Gurung and other communities living in the Himalayan and mountainous areas of Nepal celebrate Lhosar as a great festival. Different communities of Nepal have been celebrating Lhosar in different ways at different times. They celebrate Lhosar according to their original arts, culture, arts, customs and traditions.
Mainly three types of Lhosars are celebrated with great pomp in Nepal. They are Sonam, Tamu, and Gyalpo Lhosar. This Lhosar is not only a festival of a particular community but a national festival of the entire of Nepal. That's why the Nepal government gives public holidays all over the country on these Lhosars.
Lhosar Festival Celebration in Nepal
It has already been mentioned above that three types of festivals are mainly celebrated in Nepal. Tamu Lhosar, Sonam Lhosar, and Gyalpo are celebrated by Gurung, Tamang, and Sherpas of Nepal respectively. Similarly, the communities of Nepal such as Ghale, and Kirat also celebrate their own Lhosar.
Tamu Lhosar – Gurung Lhosar
Tamu Lhosar is especially celebrated by the Gurung community of Nepal. It falls on the 15th Poush every year or in the English month of December or January. The new year of the Gurungs starts from this day. In the calendar of the Gurungs, the year is reflected by 12 different animals. In this Lhosar, the old animal class (Barga) is bid farewell and the new animal (Barga) class is welcomed according to tradition.
In Tamu Lhosar, the Gurung community in Kaski, Sindhupalchok, Lamjung and other places of Nepal celebrate by performing various cultural programs and arts according to their original culture. On this day, all the members of the family gather at one place, worship their family deity, clean the village, eat sweet and savoury food, drink alcoholic beverages made in their own village and have fun.
On the occasion of Tamu Lhosar, there is a big cultural program in Tudikhel of Kathmandu. Where there is enthusiastic participation of people from all communities.
Sonam Lhosar – New Year of Tamang
Sonam Lhosar is one of the major central Lhosar celebrated in Nepal. This festival is celebrated grandly by the Tamang community living in different parts of Nepal. According to the lunar calendar, this Lhosar is celebrated on the day of the second new moon of the month of Magha or Magha Shukla Pratipada. From that day, the Year “Lho” of the Tamang community change. Of course, a new year “Lho” begins and an old one ends. In the Tamang calendar, the years are represented by 12 different animals. Which is repeated every 12-12 years.
Sonam Lhosar is celebrated by Tamangs living in Kavre, Sindhupalchok, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Dolakha, Ramechhap, etc. in Nepal. According to the Central Statistics Department, more than 80% of Tamangs in Nepal believe in Buddhism. So on the day of Sonam Lhosar, the Tamangs go to the monastery to worship. In addition to worshipping their clan deities, exchanging greetings, receiving tikas, receiving blessings, dressing up according to their original art, culture, and costumes, presenting Mhendo Maya, performing various types of large-scale cultural programs, eating homemade alcohol and various dishes etc. are the main things to do in these days.
Gyalpo Lhosar
Gyalpo Lhosar is especially celebrated by the Sherpa community living in the high Himalayan region of Nepal. Sherpas also celebrate Lhosar as a new year. This festival is celebrated on the day of Falgun Shukla Pratipada every year. Like Tamu and Sonam, the year is represented by 12 animals in the Sherpa calendar. Which repeats in 12-12 years.
Gyalpo is celebrated for two weeks in the Lhosar Sherpa community, especially for three days. This Lhosar is celebrated by the Sherpa community in the same way as other communities according to various cultural programs, original lifestyles and traditions. Cleaning your house and yard, decorating monasteries, going to the monasteries to pray with your family, exchanging good wishes, dressing up in different types of original costumes, etc are the attractions of Lhosar.
