Darjeeling, February 18 – The Tibetan community here is ready to bid adieu to 2030 — the year of the Water Sheep — and embrace the Year of the Monkey with prayers, music and fun.
Though Lohsaar (New Year) will be celebrated this Saturday, religious prayers to bid farewell to the current year have already begun at the various Tibetan gumphas (monasteries).
“Lohsaar is the most important festival and this year it is called Gyal Loh (the royal year),” said Maj.(retd) Ang Phurba, the vice-president of the Manjushree Centre of Tibetan Culture.
The Tibetan calendar — an influence of the Chinese version — is said to have started from the time of King Shroncheen Gampu. “The king had two wives. One was called Brikhunti. She was from Nepal. The other queen, Wyen Cheng, was Chinese. This queen is said to have brought a lot of items from her land. One of the things that she introduced was the Chinese calendar,” said Phurba.
The Tibetans still celebrate their New Year traditionally. On the day before Lohsaar, they bid goodbye to the old year by offering food, fruits, money and clothes to the deity. “On the 29th day of the month of Dawa Chengui Po, this ceremony of bidding farewell to the year is performed and we get ready to welcome the new month, which is called Dawa Thang Po in Tibetan,” said Phurba.
A traditional meal, the Khapsha, is served with Chhang (a type of rice wine) to those who visit the family on Lohsaar. This is also placed in front of the deity and prayers are offered for a prosperous year.
“We, however, do not go to meet our relatives. Only elders, who are blood relations, visit each other’s house for we believe that on New Year’s day, one should always stay at their respective places and welcome visitors,” said Phurba.
Many members of the community, who have settled in other countries after fleeing Tibet during the Chinese aggression, are particular about preserving their culture and traditions.
“It is only on the day after Lohsaar that we go and visit relatives and exchange goodies,” said Tshering Namgyal, a Tibetan who is a resident of this town. For the youths, it is the festivity associated with Lohsaar that is more attractive.
A Tibetan girl, Doma Bhutia, said: “I have heard that a Tshering Gyurmey and a Kathmandu-based Sambhala Band, will play Tibetan pop songs in Darjeeling on February 26 and 27. All my friends are looking forward to having a blast.”
