Losar

About Losar

Losar, which means "new year" in Tibetan, begins the year in the Tibetan lunar calendar, usually in February or March. Preparations begin days earlier: houses are cleaned, debts settled, and a ritual called Gutor, on the 29th day of the old year, clears away the bad luck of the past year by burning a dough effigy. Families set up a table of offerings with khapse fried biscuits, barley sprouts and dried fruit. On the day, people greet one another with "Tashi Delek", visit monasteries and hang prayer flags on roofs. Monks perform cham, masked dance. Bhutanese and Sherpa communities keep their own versions, called Losar in the Sherpa case and Lochhoe in Bhutan.

Losar dates: 2027, 2028

This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.

What is eaten

• khapse
• guthuk
• chang
• butter tea
• dresil

Traditions of Losar

Cham danceThe masked monastic dance.Tibetan prayer flagThe flags raised on roofs.

More marked on Losar

🇧🇹 Thimphu, BhutanArchery in Bhutanམདའ (da) Bhutan's national sport, played with bamboo bows at targets 145 metres awayGame 🇧🇹 Bhutan and 4 moreLosarལོ་གསར་ The Tibetan Buddhist New Year festival of renewal, offerings, and family feastsSeasonal · Feasts and festival meals 🇨🇳 Lhasa, China and 5 moreButter teaབོད་ཇ་ A salted tea churned with yak butter, served to guests across the HimalayaTable custom · Tea, coffee and drinking ceremonies