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Tibetan new year ( Losar
) 28 February,
Duration 15
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Losar is celebrated in
homes and with friends,
eating special food and
drinking jugs of barley
chang. On the first day
pilgrims go to pay
homage to the most
sacred statue of Sakya
Muni in Jokhang temple
and burning incense all
around Jokhang as well
as at all Tibetan homes.
Every one dresses in
his/her finest closthes
to do holy circuit
around monasteries and
temples. |
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Great
prayer ( Mon lam Chenmo
) 3 February,
Duration 8 |
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Was founded in in 1409
by Tsong Khapa to
celebrate the miracles
performed by Buddha at
Sravasti in India, Molam
is greatest religious
event of the year. In
the former times over 10
thousand monks from
Drepung, Sera and Ganden
monasteries would
come to gather in
Jokhang temple for the
event. This festivel
still continues in large
nos of monks in Labrang
and Rongwo Gon Chen
monasteries in Amdo
although this festivel
in Lhasa is held in
Jokhang temple in fewer
nos of monk. |
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Saga Dawa 11 June,
Duration
15 |
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Celebrating the
enlightenment of Buddha
and his attainment of
Nirvana upon his death.
Tens of thousands of
Tibetan pilgrims crowd
to do the sacred circuit
around Jokhang and old
Lhasa city known as
Linkor. |
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Tashilunpo Thangka (
Gegu ) ?? June, Duration
3 |
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The huge Gegu (
embroidered thangka )
displayed in Tashilunpo
monastery in Shigatse
and thousands of
pilgrims flock there to
touch their foreheads to
the sacred Thangka in
order to be blessed. |
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Universal incense
offering ( Dzam Ling
Chisang ) 11 July,
Duration
1 |
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Commemoration of Guru
Rimpoche subduing the
obstructive deities and
spirits in Tibet and
converting them to
protectors of Buddhism,
in preparation for the
founding of Samye, The
very first Buddhist
monastery in Tibet.
Tibetans burn incense
offerings to these
deities all over Tibet. |
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Samye monastic opera (
Cham ) ?? June, Duration
5 |
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Monks at Samye monastery
perform the religious
dances by wearing
interesting masks.
Thousands of pilgrims go
there for the special
occation. |
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Tashilunpo monastic
opera ( Cham ) ?? Oct,
Duration 4
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Monks at Tashilunpo
monastery perform the
ritual dances by wearing
Buddhist masks. |
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Palkhor
Chode monastic opera (
Cham ) ?? May, Duration
2 |
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Monks at Palkhor Chode
monastery in Gyangtse
perform the ritual
dances by wearing
Buddhist masks. Hundreds
of Tibetans flock there
for the special yearly
occation. |
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Palkhor Chode Thangka (
Gegu ) ?? May, Duration
1 |
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The huge Gegu (
embroidered thangka )
displayed in Tashilunpo
monastery in Gyangtse
and thousands of
pilgrims flock there to
touch their foreheads to
the sacred Thangka in
order to be blessed. |
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Ganden Thangka (
Gegu ) 9 Augast,
Duration1
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The huge Gegu (
embroidered thangka )
displayed in Ganden
monastery in Kyi Chu
valley and thousands of
pilgrims go there to
touch their foreheads to
the sacred Thangka in
order to be blessed and
having their lunch
picnic in the vicinity
if the monastery. |
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Yogurt festival ( Shodon
) at Drepung 24 August,
Duration 1
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The huge Gegu (
embroidered thangka )
displayed in Drepung
monastery in Lhasa and
thousands of pilgrims go
there to touch their
foreheads to the sacred
Thangka in order to be
blessed. This Yogurt
festivals operas also
begins there in the
monastery courtyard.
Tibetans flock in
Norbulinka ( the summer
palace of the Dalai Lama
) to start their summer
picnic. |
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Yogurt festival Opera at
Norbulingka 25 August t,
Duration 3
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A week long summer
picnic is held at
Norbulinka ( Summer
palace ) by Tibetans and
the picnic is
accompanied by a
historical and
interesting Tibetan
opera for the first
3days. Summer palace
fills with the melody of
happiness. |
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Ganden Thangka ( Gegu )
?? Dec, Duration 1
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Thousands
of butter lamps and
candles are lit on the
roof monasteries,
temples and Tibetan
homes to commemorate the
death and the entry in
to Nirvana of Tsong Kha
pa, the founder of
Ganden monastery and the
Gelugpa sect. The huge
Gegu ( embroidered
thangka ) displayed in
Ganden monastery in Kyi
Chu valley and thousands
of pilgrims go there to
touch their foreheads to
the sacred Thangka in
order to be blessed.
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Gyangtse horse racing (
Tagyuk ) ?? May,
Duration 3 |
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The
biggest festival in
Gyangtse, with horse
racing festival, Yak
races, and ritual dances
( Cham ) at the
monastery.
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Labrang Thangka ( Gegu
), Amdo 10 Feb, Duration
1
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The immense silk
appliqué Gegu displayed
in Labrang monastery in
Amdo (Gansu province
Ganna Tibetan
Autonomouse Prefecture)
and thousands of
pilgrims from all over
Amdo region flock in
Labrang for the special
occation. |
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Labrang monastic opera (
Cham ) 11 Feb, Duration
1 |
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Monks at Labrang
monastery perform the
ritual dances by wearing
Buddhist masks. Hundreds
of Tibetans flock there
for the special
ceremony. |
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Labrang monastic butter
sculptures exhibition 15
December, Duration 1 |
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Beautifully hand made
butter sculptures are
displayed at night with
lights in Labrang
monastery. Pilgrims in
long rows to see the
beauty and to gain
blessings. |
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Jampa Ling Khor
(circumambulation of
future Buddha Maitraiya)
13 Feb, Duration 1
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A tall Maitraiya statue
accompanied many other
sacred statues of the
monastery, thousands of
monks and Tibetan
pilgrims do the holy
circuit around the
monastery, ( praying for
the arrival of the
future Buddha on earth ) |
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Offering Day 7 March,
Duration 1 |
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All the
most sacred relics of
Labrang monastery
accompanied by thousands
of monks and Tibetan
pilgrims do the holy
ciruit around the
monastery. |
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Summer Picnic in Lbrang
1 July, Duration 5 |
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Summer
picnic is celebrated in
the nomadic grass lands
of Sangke. Those pure,
clear grass lands are
dotted with colorful
Tibetan tents and filled
with sounds of joy. |
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Labrang monastic opera (
SummerCham ) 1
August, Duration 1 |
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Monks at
Labrang monastery
perform the ritual
dances by wearing
Buddhist masks. Hundreds
of Tibetans flock there
for the special
ceremony. |
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Horse racing festival at
Labrang Sangke grassland
6 August, Duration 1 |
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This is a
special ceremony held by
the nomads of Sangke
including mainly horse
race, Yak race and
wrestling. |
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Labrang monastic opera (
Winter Cham ) 19
November, Duration 1 |
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Monks at Labrang
monastery perform the
ritual dances by wearing
Buddhist masks. Hundreds
of Tibetans flock there
for the special
ceremony. |
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Kangding horse racing
festival 30 June,
Duration 3 |
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This is a special
ceremony held by the
nomads of Kangding of
Kham-region including
mainly horse race, Yak
race and wrestling. |
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Kyiku Do horse racing
festival 25 July,
Duration 3 |
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This is a
special ceremony held by
the nomads of Golok of
Amdo including mainly
horse race, Yak race and
wrestling. |
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Lithang horse racing
festival 1 August,
Duration 7 |
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The Tibetan area of Kham
in West-Sichuan is
comprised of Garze Tibet
Autonomous Prefecture
and this area features
snowy mountains. Here
also plants of various
shapes and colors and
numerous wild animals
exist.
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