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Losar 2024: Date, Celebration, History and Significance

Published Date: 04-Dec-2022

Losar is the celebration of the Tibetan New Year, the festivities of which starts on the first day of the lunisolar Tibetan calendar and last for 3 days. This year, it will start on 10 February according to the Gregorian calendar. Observed by Tibetans, Tibetan Buddhists and Bhutanese all over the world, it is one of the most widely celebrated festivals of the religion.

When is Losar Celebrated?

Losar festival in India is celebrated in February and March by the followers of Tibetan Buddhism. The festival is celebrated for three days with each day having its own significance.

Day

Date

Day 1: Lama Losar

8th February, Thursday

Day 2: Gyalpo Losar

9th February, Friday

Day 3: Choe-Kyong Losar

10th February, Saturday

Losar Meaning

Also known as the Tibetan New Year, Losar is a festival celebrated by Tibetan Buddhists across the globe. Tibetans celebrate the festival as New Year and the beginning of the harvest season.

Is Losar a public holiday?

Losar is observed as a public holiday in Tibet (autonomous region of China), Bhutan, Sikkim & Ladakh (India), and Nepal. In other regions of India, it is considered a restricted holiday.

Losar History and Significance

Losar 2020

Losar 2024

The celebrations of Losar date back to the pre-Buddhist period when Tibetans used to follow the Bon religion. A spiritual ceremony was organized every winter in which devotees offered incense smoke to local deities and spirits, in the belief that they would ensure the wellbeing of the people and their surroundings. This religious festival became a farmers’ festival that was held during the blossoming of flowers on apricot trees.

During the reign of the 9th Tibetan King, Pude Gungyal, an elderly woman taught people to calculate time-based on different phases of the moon. It was after the foundation of the lunar calendar, that the farmers’ festival took the form of Losar.

Losar Celebrations across India

Losar 2020

Losar 2024

Losar is a 3-day festival (the celebrations last up to 15 days) in which people clean their houses thoroughly, wear new clothes and offer freshly cooked food to their god. The main celebrations take place for the first three days.

Day 1: Lama Losar

On the first day, people clean their houses and decorate them with Tibetan Losar decorations. A special Losar festival noodle soup called Gu-Thuk is prepared and a beer-based beverage named Changkoi is distributed among the people gathered.

Day 2: Gyalpo Losar

The second day is known as Gyalpo Losar or King’s Losar and involves holding religious ceremonies. People visit local monasteries and give gifts to the monks. Firecrackers are also burnt as they are believed to scare away any evil spirits lurking around.

Day 3: Choe-Kyong Losar

On the third day, people wake up early, wear new clothes, present offerings to gods and worship them. Families unite and feast on kapse (a kind of cake) and chaang (a local alcoholic drink). People greet each other by wishing ‘Happy Losar 2024’ or “Losar Tashi Delek”. The primary Losar festival ends on the third day but the celebrations continue for 12 more days, where people visit relatives and friends.

Also, Know About the Diwali Holiday Date

Losar Eight Auspicious Symbols

Tibetan Buddhism has eight auspicious symbols that are believed to be the signs of good fortune. These eight symbols are the parasol or umbrella, the golden fish, the conch shell, the vase of treasure, the infinite knot, the lotus flower, the flag, and the wheel.

  • The Parasol or Umbrella: The Parasol or Umbrella in Tibetan Buddhism symbolises a device that protects from the heat. The Parasol represents Buddha’s teachings that protect from the “heat”, which is lust, greed, and obstacles towards enlightenment.
  • The Golden Fish: The golden fish is known as Sernya in Tibet, which symbolises liberation from the birth and death cycle.
  • The Conch Shell: The Dhunk or Conch Shell represents the sovereignty of Buddha’s teachings. It is a symbol of great spiritual energy, and it is believed to cast out evil spirits.
  • The Vase of Treasure: It is also known as Bumpa, it symbolises the limitless spiritual wealth of Buddha.
  • The Infinite Knot: The Knot of Infinity represents that time is just an illusion and Dharma is a continuous process. It is also known as Pata, which means everything is interconnected with each other.
  • The Flag: The flag represents the victory of Buddha over four obstacles i.e. greed, passion, the fear of death, and emotional degradation.
  • The Wheel: The Wheel of Law or Dharmachakra represents the teachings of Buddha. The circular shape symbolises that following the path of enlightenment is the best way out of the endless cycle of birth and death.
  • The Lotus Flower: In Buddhism, the lotus flower represents the journey of a person’s soul. It is believed that through the teachings of Buddha, we can achieve pure mind and soul.

Best Places to Observe the Celebrations of Losar

Leh-Ladakh

Ladakh is an amazing destination to celebrate the Losar Festival. You will find the posters of Happy Losar 2024 on the roads and the Tibetan Losar decorations outside their homes. The prime location of celebrations is the Namgyal Monastery to enjoy the Cham Dance performances.

Bodh Gaya

This is the place where Buddha attained enlightenment for the first time. People around the world gather here during the festival to seek blessings and enjoy the celebrations.

Sikkim

Sikkim is a popular destination to witness the Tibetan Losar 2024 festival. Rumtek Monastery is a popular place where people gather and celebrate the festival with the Lama dance. Gutor Cham is performed by the monks during the Losar Festival Sikkim.

Arunachal Pradesh

Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is famous for the Losar festival celebrations. People clean their homes and welcome the relatives and outsiders with a happy heart. The festival is celebrated for fifteen days in Tawang.

Himachal Pradesh

There are many places for the Losar festival in Himachal Pradesh. Some of the popular places are Mcleodganj, Spiti, Manali, and Shimla.

Other Festivals in India with Holiday Type

Festivals in India Day Date Holiday Type
New Year’s Day Mon 01-Jan Restricted Holiday
Lohri Sat 13-Jan Restricted Holiday
Makar Sankranti Sun 14-Jan Restricted Holiday
Pongal Mon 15-Jan Restricted Holiday
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Wed 17-Jan Restricted Holiday
Republic Day Fri 26-Jan Gazetted Holiday
Losar Sat 10-Feb Restricted Holiday
Basant Panchmi Wed 14-Feb Restricted Holiday
Guru Ravidas Jayanti Sat 24-Feb Gazetted Holiday
Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti Wed 6-Mar Restricted Holiday
Mahashivratri Fri 8-Mar Gazetted Holiday
Holi Mon 25-March Gazetted Holiday
Good Friday Fri 29-Mar Gazetted Holiday
Easter Day Sun 31-Mar Restricted Holiday
Gudi Padwa Tue 9-Apr Restricted Holiday
Eid-ul-Fitr Wed 10-Apr Gazetted Holiday
Vaisakhi (Vishu) Sat 13-Apr Restricted Holiday
Rama Navami Wed 17-Apr Gazetted Holiday
Mahavir Jayanti Sun 21-Apr Gazetted Holiday
Rabindra Jayanti Wed 8-May Restricted Holiday
Buddha Purnima (Vesak) Thu 23-May Gazetted Holiday
Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) Mon 17-Jun Restricted Holiday
Rath Yatra Sun 7-Jul Gazetted Holiday
Muharram (Ashura) Wed 17-Jul Gazetted Holiday
Independence Day Thu 15-Aug Gazetted Holiday
Parsi New Year’s Day (Nauraz) Thu 15-Aug Public Holiday
Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi) Mon 19-Aug Restricted Holiday
Janmashtami Mon 26-Aug Restricted Holiday
Ganesh Chaturthi Sat 7-Sep Restricted Holiday
Onam Sun 15-Sep Restricted Holiday
Milad-un-Nabi or Id-e- Milad Mon 16-Sep Gazetted Holiday
Gandhi Jayanti Wed 02-Oct Gazetted Holiday
Dussehra Sat 12-Oct Gazetted Holiday
Valmiki Jayanti Thu 17-Oct Restricted Holiday
Karva Chauth Sun 20-Oct Gazetted Holiday
Dhanteras Tue 29-Oct Restricted Holiday
Diwali Thu 31-Oct Gazetted Holiday
Kali Puja Thu 31-Oct Gazetted Holiday
Lakshmi Puja Thu 31-Oct Gazetted Holiday
Halloween Day Thu 31-Oct No Holiday
Karnataka Rajyotsava Fri 1-Nov Gazetted Holiday
Kerala Piravi Fri 1-Nov Gazetted Holiday
Govardhan Puja Sat 2-Nov Gazetted Holiday
Bhai Dooj Sun 3-Nov Gazetted Holiday
Chhath Puja Thu 7-Nov Gazetted Holiday
Guru Nanak Jayanti Fri 15-Nov Gazetted Holiday
Christmas Wed 25-Dec Public Holiday

FAQs

Q. What Tibetan year is 2024?

A. The Tibetan year in 2024 is the year 2151.

Q. What do they eat in Tibetan New Year 2024?

A. The famous dishes of the Tibetan New Year are Guthuk, Chaang, and Kapse.

Q. Losar festival is celebrated in which state?

A. Losar is celebrated among the Tibetan community in different states like Sikkim, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh.

Q. When was the Losar festival of Arunachal Pradesh first celebrated?

A. The festival of Losar can be traced back to the Tibetan pre-Buddhist period (127 BC – 629 AD).

Sargun Preet Kaur
Sargun has an appetite for challenges and creative hurdles that can help her grow as she conquers them one by one. With an innate desire to travel the world, she weaves through life by visiting her dream destinations. When not in her creative zone, Sargun loves to smash in badminton and binge-watch her favourite shows.
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