Losar, The Tibetan New year

The actual celebration began two days ahead on the 29th Days of the last month ( or 12th Month). We will start by cleaning the entire house. We believe by cleaning the whole house one more time before the New Year Celebration will take away all the bad lucks and omens. In the night we have all the family member gathered together for a special soup noodle together. This marks the beginning of family gathering for the New year celebration. This ritual noodle is known as Gutuk. During the ritual of drinking, we will put the different shape of dough and handwritten in a bigger dough. It is believed you will get the same items as per your personality. For example, salt is for lazy ass, Sun for fame and Moon for kindness. This fortune cookie kind of custom create a light moment before the beginning the traditional New year.

While everyone is eating noodle, the eldest male member of the family will prepare a human shape made of the dough. When everyone is finished, we will put the leftover from each cup over that dough statue. Then they would bring it to the road Junction near the house. This is to bring out all the misfortune, illness and bad Karma from the old year.

Now in Tibet, during the dinner time Tibetan Language Television channel, Xizang TV will start to show the Tibetan New Year Gala. We consider it the grandest show in Tibet.

The word for the Losar eve is called Nangkar. Nangkar is the busiest day in the Losar preparation. On the day all the ladies in the house will prepare all the eatable for the New Year like Meat, Chang (Tibetan Barleywine), Dorma Drassee. All the male member have to clean and put a new curtain to the doors and Windows. They will also have to put a white art on the walls in Kitchen like eight auspicious signs and animals.

Offering for Losar

Our offering to the three jewels of Buddhism is significant, and we have to make sure it will stay input until the 15th day of the Losar. If the offering gets demolish, it is considered a very inauspicious sign for the family. So the most experienced person in the family will put it out.

The primary offering is called Derka. Derka is made of Huge Kapse. In the Bön era in Tibetan History, We offer part of animals for the gods during the new year. Later it is changed to a similar version made with Kapse. Besides this, we offer cheese, Dorma Drassee, crystal Sugar, Brown sugar, Tea, Butter, salt, Thu (Cheese and Braley cake), Sheep head made of butter and small sapling of barley plan.

Droso Chenmar is an offering made in the wooden box with Tibetan Butter art decorated on it. Chenmar is another essential part of the ritual. It signified the good wishes of the Agriculture and herders prosperities in the New year.

It will usually take until the late in the night to finish all the preparation for the new year. After all, are done, we will sweep the house one more time. As one the first day of the new year, we are not supposed to clean our house. We believe it will take good luck out of the household.

Finally, before midnight all the members in the house have to wash their head. It signifies washing away all the misfortune and obstacles of the old years.

It is considered auspicious if you are able to get the first water from the source. That is why every on the first day of the traditional Tibetan new year, the girls from the house going the fetch water from the source River, well or spring.
Mother of the house would prepare Konten and serve it to the rest of the family members in their bed. Konten is the boil Tibetan barley wine with kapse dipped in it.
The first word you should be speaking is Tashi Delek, A Tibetan greeting for auspicious and well being. After everyone will wear their traditional cloth and start the first meal of the new year.
For the sitting arrangement, the elder would sit in the most corner and follow by the younger people as per their age. after having one cup of the Tibetan Yak Butter tea. The head of the family would bring the Khata to the altar room. After this children would offer khata to elder member and wish them Tashi Delek. Children are given the gift of money.

Then the parent would bring Chenmar and barley beer. First, it will be offered to the eldest member and followed by the rest of the family members basic on their age. You will have to pick a pinch of tsampa from the Chenmar and toast it up to air saying Tashi Delek wishes. Next it the Braley beer, you will have to dip ring finger of the left-hand side in the beer and toast it up in the air to say the Tashi Delek wish another time.

After this, they will serve Droma Dra see and the Barley porridge. after having this marks the end of the morning ceremony in the house.

The first day of Tibetan New year is considered as the New year for Buddhas and Lamas, so the main agenda of the day is to go to the Monasteries and temples for the Pilgrimage. In Lhasa, we would commonly go to the Jokhang Temple, Ramoche Temple and Potala Palace.

The first day is considered so auspiciously that we would refrain from having any financial transactions and bad experience which is why we would return back home as soon as possible.

The second day of the Tibetan New Year or Losar is considered as the new year of the Public leaders. Which is why the common practice is for the people to gather around the local government building to thank their leaders for looking after them so well. Some government offices will have a small ceremony for the lay people and government staffs to be merry and have a good time.
It is a very good opportunity for ordinary people to thank the local government and their leaders and staffs.

The third day of the Tibetan new year is considered as the New year of the Ordinary family. First, in the morning, everyone will gather around their rooftop of the house to change the prayer flags and performed incense offering rituals. neighbors will exchange their good wishes and chenmar on the rooftop.

In many cases, it is a very good visit the eldest members in their extended family. It is a gathering of the extended family member. It is a time for joy and sharing happiness.

After the third day. It began the exchange of the in-house parties. Different family members and friends would invite all for the in-house party. The celebration of the Losar (Tibetan New Year) will last depending on how big your social circle is.