Losar: The Tibetan New Year ~Blog Post #2~ April 12, 2015

In Tibet, many holidays are special to the citizens there, but Losar, the Tibetan New Year, is a major holiday that holds dear to many people’s hearts. Losar is composed of three days. The first two days are referred to as Gutor. The first day of Gutor is celebrated on the 29th day of the twelve month of the Tibetan calendar. Many monasteries prepare to hold ceremonies specifically for this holiday. This day is dedicated to cleaning the house, specifically the kitchen because that is where the meals are cooked. They also sweep the chimneys of dirt. Many people begin to prepare the Losar meal, soup with small dumplings and dough balls, on this day. The dough balls are composed of various ingredients including: chilies, salt, wool, rice, and coal. The ingredient one receives in their dough ball is supposed to comment on their character. If one were to receive coal in their dough ball, it would be the equivalent of an American receiving coal in their stocking; it represents the person having a black heart. The soup with small dumplings is made of meat, wheat, rice, sweet potatoes, cheese, peas, green peppers, vermicelli and radishes. The fillings for dumplings include scraps of wood, paper, or pebbles. On the second day, people go to attend the celebrations at their monasteries and to give gifts to their monks. Along with this, they set off firecrackers to get rid of all the evil spirits that may be in their presence. They also continue to clean and prepare for the final day. Not only this but they put on their dress clothes and have a reunion feast similar spiritually to the Han Chinese New Year feast. On the third day, the Tibetans wake up early and bathe in order to wear their new clothing. Then in their homes, they hold a worship session which includes having an offering to their home shrine.  The offerings usually consist of animals and demons made from a kind of dough called torma. Since this holiday is very family centered, families exchange gifts and hold a family diner where cake called kapse and an alcoholic drink called chang, are served. Traditionally, the housewives wake up early on this day to prepare a barley wine for the family. She will and wait for the first sight of sunlight to hit the window. As the first ray of sunshine of the New Year catches her eye, the housewife takes a bucket and heads for a nearby river, or well, to fetch the year's first bucket of water, which is seen as the most sacred, clearest water of the coming year. The family that fetches the first bucket of water from the river/well is believed to be blessed with good luck for the coming year.

Here is a link to listen to song Losar music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zggWYO8AqiQ

Citations:

"Tibetan New Year / Losar." ChinaHighlights. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.