Gyalpo Lhosar

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Gyalpo Lhosar
ग्याल्पो लोसार
CountryNepal, India
PeopleSherpa

Gyalpo Lhosar is a new year festival of Sherpa people of Nepal and Sikkim and Darjeeling regions of India. The festival is celebrated every year from Falgun Shukla Pratipada, the second day of the waxing moon until the full moon.[1]

Gyalpo Lhosar is also regarded as a Tibetan New Year. The calendar has a cycle of 12 years named after mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog and boar.[2]

Mythology[]

According to mythology, the Losar was first celebrated when an old woman named introduced moon based time measurement. People went to the local spring to perform rituals of gratitude and offerings were made to the Nagas (the snake god), or water spirits, who activated the water element in the area, and smoke offerings were made to the local spirits associated with the natural world.[3]

History[]

Gyalpo Lhosar was celebrated as a spring festival from the reign of , the ninth emperor of Tibet.[4]

Activities[]

Gyalpo Lhosar is celebrated for 2 weeks. The main celebrations take place during first three days. On the first day, a traditional beverage called Changkol, an equivalent of Chhaang is drunk. In the second day, which is the start of new year, Gyalpo Lhosar is celebrated. On the third day, people gather together to have a feast.

Various traditional dances representing the struggle between demon and god are performed in the Monasteries. Mantras are chanted and holy torches are passed among all the people in the crowd. A traditional dance depicting a battle between a deer and the King is also performed.

Traditional dishes are served during the festival. One of the main dishes is a soup called [3] cooked with nine kinds of beans and meat, wheat, rice, sweet potato, cheese, peas, green pepper, vermicelli noodles and radish. The soup is served with dumpling. Khapse, a deep-fried pastry commonly eaten during, symbolizing the start of holiday celebrations.

Firecrackers are fired to get rid of ill spirits.[5]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Giri, Atma Ram (2016). "Festival culture of nepalese immigrant students living in Oslo". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "ग्याल्पो लोसार तीन दिन मनाइँदै". ग्याल्पो लोसार तीन दिन मनाइँदै. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  3. ^ a b "Gyalpo Losar". Sherpa Adventure Gear. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  4. ^ "Sherpa community celebrates Gyalpo Lhosar today". OnlineKhabar English News. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  5. ^ "Gyalpo Lhosar - We All Nepali". Retrieved 2021-02-17.
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