Lhosar
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Lhosar is the celebration of the New Year various Buddhist communities in Nepal. The word meaning of ‘Lho’ is year and sar, the new. Hence, Lhosar indicates the beginning of new year and farewell to the old. Lhosar is the principle festival of the community belonging to the Tibeto-Burman language family and followers of Mahayana Buddhism like Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung, Yolmo and Bhotia. The monasteries in Kathmandu are thronged by the Buddhists during this festival.
Lhosar in Kathmandu is observed in monasteries like Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. The Buddhists join the mirth of the festival. They dress in their traditional apparel and gather with the family members and friends to celebrate the joyous occasion. They take part in several cultural activities like dancing and singing. The songs gradually rise in pitch and are sung in unison.
The dance performances during celebration of Lhosar in Kathmandu are enjoyed by the people. The dances often have symbolic connotations. The monks also participate in the auspicious dances and they dress up in gorgeous silk dresses. The monks generally perform a special type of slow dance. The songs and dances are accompanied by horns and cymbals.
There are three types of Lhosar, each distinct from the other in the manner of celebration. Tola Lhosar, Sonam Lhosar and Gyalbo Lhosar. Tola Lhosar is familiar amongst the Gurung community and it coincides with Paush Shukla Pakchhya of Nepali calender. Sonam Lhosar is celebrated by the Tamang and Yolmo communities and it falls under the Maagh Shukla Pakchhya. Similarly Gyalbo Lhosar is the festival of the Sherpa, Tibetan communities living in the hilly terrain and occurs in the month of Falgun Shukla Pakchhya. Even though different communities celebrate Lhosar in different ways, the ultimate goal is one – welcoming the New Year and bidding farewell to the old.
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