When is Losar

Losar is considered to be the most significant festival of the Buddhist community in Tibet. The festival marks the Tibetan New Year and is celebrated with great splendor and grandeur. The word Losar has been derived from two Tibetan words, 'lo' meaning 'year' and 'sar' meaning 'new'. The Tibetan Buddhists observe the festival to ward off evil spirits and welcome the arrival of the New Year filled with happiness and prosperity. Though the Tibetan New Year is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, the date varies each year. Glance through the lines below to know the date of Losar festival in the year 2018.

When Is Tibetan New Year In 2018
The Tibetans follow the lunisolar calendar, which means that the date is indicative of the moon phase and the time of the solar year as well. Losar, the Tibetan New Year is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the calendar. The date usually falls in the months of January, February or March according to the Gregorian calendar. The date of this festival is likely to fall on Friday Feb 16 ~ Sunday, Feb 18, 2018 in the year 2018. The festival is celebrated from the first to the third of the first lunar month. Marked with immense opulence and radiance, some people even continue with their celebrations for the next ten to fifteen days as well.

The celebrations of the Tibetan New Year begin on the 29th day of the twelfth month, that is, the day before the Tibetan New Year's Eve. People get occupied with cleaning their homes and painting them new. The houses are adorned with different decorations and offerings are made known as 'Lama Losar'. On the New Year's Eve, a traditional noodle soup is made called guthuk. It contains dumplings made from flour and water. The dumplings are stuffed with each of nine different fortune symbols that determine the fortune of the person in the next year.

On the New Year's Day, people rise early and dress in their finest and new clothes. They make offerings to the household shrine to pay homage to the God. This day is restricted to the immediate family members only. On the second day, people move out and visit friends and relatives. They exchange greetings and wish one another 'tashi delek', which means 'good luck'. In the evening, people lit torches and move around in their homes warding off evil spirits from their abodes. The third day is marked by visits to the monasteries, shrines and stupas. Clothes and food are donated to the monks and nuns. Back home, different traditional foods are made to celebrate the occasion.

Losar 2018: Friday Feb 16 ~ Sunday, Feb 18, 2018