Source: CCTV.com

02-26-2009 08:12

Losar, in Tibetan means "new year" and is the most important holiday in Tibet. Here's a background report on the history and traditions of the festival.

On the second and third days of Losar, people visit friends and other family members who don't live close by.

The Losar Festival actually pre-dates Buddhism in Tibet, dating back to 1027 A.D. As irrigation, cultivation and refinement techniques were introduced, Losar ceremonies became more celebratory, as a gesture of thanks to the gods for innovation. Eventually with the advent of rudimentary astrology, Losar became more than a farmers' festival and evolved into a Buddhist celebration of the New Year.

Tibetan new year festivities take place in January or February each year. Tibetan Buddhists follow the Tibetan calendar so the date of Losar is different each year. While Losar celebrations used to last for as long as two weeks, the festival is normally now a three-day event.

To make a fresh start, in the days leading up to the Tibetan New Year, new clothes are made or purchased, and houses are cleaned and decorated.

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