The Dalai Lama's Tibetan New Year Message

His Holiness's Tibetan New Year Message

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Tibetan New Year Message (Tibetan New Year is February 5th, 2019) given during a meeting with a group of elderly Tibetans all over the age of 90 at his residence in Dharamsala, HP, India on February 4, 2019.

HAPPY TIBETAN NEW YEAR!

Tibetans Openly Celebrate Dalai Lama’s Birthday During New Year

Reported by Lhuboom and Chakmo Tso for RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.

Tibetans living in northwestern China’s Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu provinces openly celebrated the 80th birth year of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama this week, combining public and private observances with traditional celebrations of Losar, the Lunar New Year, sources said.

At monasteries in Sichuan’s Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) and Golog (Guoluo)Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures, participants placed life-size photos of the Dalai Lama on thrones in the monasteries’ courtyards, made offerings, and recited prayers for his long life, a local source told RFA’s Tibetan Service.

“Those taking part included both monks from the monasteries and laypersons from the local Tibetan community,” RFA’s source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“They threw prayer leaflets in the air, conducted fireworks displays, and openly marked the 80th anniversary year of [the Dalai Lama’s] birth,” he said.

Monasteries taking part in the celebrations on Thursday, the first day of the Lunar New Year, included Se,  Nyentse, and Sumdo monasteries in Ngaba, and Jonang Kyada in Golog, sources said.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed national uprising against Chinese occupation in 1959, and Beijing has repeatedly accused exiled Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, of stoking dissent against its rule ever since.

There was no information about how authorities responded to the celebrations this week.

Displays by Tibetans of the Dalai Lama’s photos or public celebrations of his birthday, which falls on July 6, have been met with harsh punishment in the past. In some cases, Tibetans have been detained for having photos of the Dalai Lama on their mobile phones.

Meanwhile, in Rebgong (Tongren) county in Qinghai’s Malho (Huangnan) prefecture , and in the Kanlho (Gannan) prefecture in Gansu, many observances were held in private homes, RFA’s source said.

“These were held with clear indications that the Tibetans were celebrating not only the New Year but also the anniversary year of [the Dalai Lama’s] birth.”

“This year, the number of Tibetans celebrating Losar is much greater than the numbers who celebrated during the past few years,” he said.

“Monasteries and laypeople in this region of Tibet have the unique tradition of paying special respect to their spiritual teachers when those teachers reach 80 years of age,” he added.

At Jonang Kyada monastery in Golog prefecture’s Chigdril (Jiuzhi) county this week, monks celebrated not only the 80th birth year of the Dalai Lama but also of Khenchen Kunga Sherab, the monastery’s abbot, another source said.

Sporadic demonstrations challenging Chinese rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008, with 136 Tibetans to date setting themselves ablaze to oppose Beijing’s rule and call for the Dalai Lama’s return.

Original link with photos http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/dalailama-02202015151811.html

Joyous Tibetan Buddhist New Year (Losar) – February 11-25, 2013

Tibetan Prayer Flags

(CHAKRA) Losar, also known as Tibetan New Year is celebrated mainly by Tibetans for fifteen days. Losar commemorates miracles performed by Lord Buddha. Activities consists of rituals, dances, and sculptures are offered to drive out evil spirits and to protect and benefit all sentient beings. Celebrations end on Chotrul Duchen.

The main celebrations take place on the 1st 3 days. On the 1st day, a drink called changkol is made from chhang (similar to beer). The 2nd day of Losar is known as King’s Losar (gyalpo losar). Losar is traditionally preceded by the five day practice of Vajrakilaya. It often falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year (sometimes with one day or occasionally with one lunar month difference). Losar is culturally more related to Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia than the Chinese New Year festival. Although Losar is mainly celebrated by Tibetans worldwide, it is also celebrated by some Yolmo, Sherpa, Tamang, Bhutia communities.

Losar celebrations predates Buddhism in Tibet and can be traced back to the pre-Buddhist Bön period. However, Losar later evolved into an annual Buddhist festival which is believed to have originated during the reign of Pude Gungyal, the ninth King of Tibet.

The Chakra Team would like to wish all Buddhists and Tibetans a Joyous Losar and New Year in 2013.

Source: http://www.chakranews.com/joyous-tibetan-buddhist-new-year-losar-february-11-25-2013/3616

NOTE: It is also Chinese New Year--the year of the Black Water Snake. May it be auspicious for everyone!