Losar Festival

The Losar Festival is celebrated in the 11th month of Tibetan calendar which is two months ahead of Tibetan New Year. Later it became a tradition and began being celebrated in the eleventh month. The Ladakh Losar festival lasts for around a month during which gods, divinities, descendants and even the animals are fed without fail. Images of Ibex are made as auspicious symbols; walls of the kitchen are dotted and are believed to bring prosperity in the coming year. The Matho is thrown out chanting slogans and chasing hungry ghosts and evil spirits, and they return with rocks of ice as auspicious symbol and these are kept in the store. In some villages, there is a tradition of making Old man and women, from this snow which last for a week. Over all the Losar Ladakh all children and young and old enjoy and rejoice the festival. All family members come together to celebrate the Ladakh Losar festival and if someone is missing, will have their cups filled with tea by their name. The ladakhis start preparations for the festival with great joy and enthusiasm like rehearsals for the performances and cleaning their houses. People start cleaning the house by removing all the waste materials so that the evil gets rid of and start the life with well-being and prosperity. The holy shrine is decorated with lights in the evening. People offer prayers and follow the customs and tradition of Lama Losar and they exchange gifts by saying 'Tahsi Delek'

History of Losar

The Losar Ladakh is celebrated before the commencement of Buddhist belief in Tibet. Buddhist follows the Bon religion during the pre- Buddhist period. The festival is religious known as "Bon" that was celebrated as a mystical tradition in the winter season. During the supremacy of the ninth king of Tibet the Pude Gungyal, is a spiritual tradition which was celebrated as the Buddhist festive occasion. In early 17th century, King Jamyang Namgyal interpreted to lead an excursion against the Balistan forces in winter so he decided to celebrate the festival two months before.