Tibetan festivals and dates in 2010

Tibetan New Year 14 February in Lhasa/Kham/Amdo

Lively one to two week festival celebrating the new year.

Monlam Prayer Festival 17 February in Lhasa/Kham/Amdo

Also known as The Great Prayer Festival, falls on 4th -11th day of the 1st Tibetan month in Tibetan Buddhism. The event in Tibet was established in 1409 by Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Geluk tradition. As the greatest religious festival in Tibet, thousands of monks (of the three main monasteries of Drepung, Sera and Ganden) gathered for chanting prayers and performing religious rituals at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Most important festival of the year. Many pilgrims gather at the Jokhang and other monasteries.

Butter Lamp Festival 28 February in Lhasa/Amdo

The Butter Lamp Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month every year by the Tibetan in Qinghai and Gansu provinces. It ‘s the last day of the Great Prayer Festival. To honor the victory of Sakyamuni in a debate against Heretics,people assemble at the Barkhor Street in Lhasa, worshiping the Buddha in the daytime and by nightfall. People usually light thousands of lamps filled with butter in an intriguing assortment of designs including immortals, animals, flying birds, beasts, and flowers.. The whole festive will last all night. People sing and dance in great joy throughout the night. Monks compete in building tall butter sculpture offerings. Commemorates Buddha’s miracle at Sravasti. Fires and lamps are lit.

Saga Dawal 27 May in Lhasa/Kham/Amdo

On the fifteenth day of the fourth Tibetan month is Saka Dawa Festival. The day is believed to be the time when Sakyamuni was born; stepped into Buddhahood, and attained nirvana. Tibetans believe that a merit is an accumulation of a myriad of merits from previous days, months or years. People refrain from killing animals by liberating them and abstain from eating meats. Sutra chanting, prayer turning, Cham dancing and other religious activities dominate the occasion. Offering sacrifices to the female deity enshrined in the temple on the islet of the Dragon King Pond, boating in the pond and picnicking add more to the festive mood.

Gyantse Horse Race 20 July in Lhasa

Horse & yak racing, dancing, singing, and games.

Thangka unveiling at Tashilunpo 26 June in Lhasa/Amdo A giant thangka painting is hung at Tashilunpo and famous monasteries.

Zamling Chisang/Samye Dolde 26 June in Lhasa Universal Incense Offering Day. Picnic, sing, and dance in the park.

Choekor Duechen/Tukbe Tseshi 15 July in Lhasa Commemorates the Buddha’s first teaching.

Ganden Thangka Unveiling 25 July in Lhasa A giant thangka painting is hung at Ganden Monastery.

Shoton Festival 10 August

Shoton Festival, also known as the Yoghurt Festival, begins on the thirtieth day of the sixth Tibetan month. The origin of the festival started from the 17th century when pilgrims served yoghurt to the monks who stopped for their summer retreat. Years later, Tibetan opera performances were added to the event to amuse monks in monasteries. During the festival, giant Thangkas of the Buddha are unveiled in Drepung Monastery while Tibetan opera troupes perform at Norbulingka.

Labrang Festival 17 August

Karma Dunba (shower festival) 26 August

Nakchu Horse Race 10 August

Nakchu Horse Race Festival is the most important folk festival in Tibet. People who gather for the annual horse race festival in Nakchu town construct a tent city. Dressing themselves and their finest horse, thousands of herdsmen participate in the thrilling horse race, archery and horsemanship contest. Other folk activities and commodity fairs are also held.

Jyekundo Horse Festival July 25-28 in Kham

The biggest horse racing festival in Tibet.

Litang Horse Race 01 August in Kham

Horse racing, circle dance, fashion shows.

Lhabab Duechen 29 October in Lhasa

Festival observing the descent of Buddha from heaven.

Palden Lhamo Festival 21 November in Lhasa

A float of Tibet’s protector deity Palden Lhamo is paraded through the city.

Ganden Nga-Choe 01 December in Lhasa /Amdo

Memorial for Tsongkhapa. Buddhists light lamps, make offerings, and pray.