Tibet Festivals

During Tibetan festivals, you can feel Tibetan culture more. Major Tibetan festivals have strong religious characteristics. No matter what kind of festivals, they are closely related to religious activities. Activities such as worship, sacrifice, sutra rotation, and Buddha exhibitions have penetrated into various activities in Tibetan festivals.

Tibetan Festivals in 2024

Tibetan New Year

The Tibetan New Year is a traditional festival and the monks and laity also celebrate the annual Spring Festival. Because they believe in Buddhism, the festival is filled with a strong religious atmosphere.

Celebration Activities in Tibetan New Year

Prepare the "Qiema"（切玛）

Preparations for the New Year usually begin in early December of the previous year. Every household has to make a "Qiema", that is, in the painted colored pattern of the wooden box around the fried wheat grains and Zamba, above the colored flowers made of ghee.

Make a "Kasai"（卡赛）

Near the festival, Tibetan women will make "kasai", a kind of ghee-fried pasta, divided into an ear shape, butterfly shape, bar, square, round, and other shapes, and coated with paint and sugar.

Dressing and cleaning

When a few days before the New Year, all Tibetan men should shave their heads, and women should wash and comb their hair. From December 28th, they will clean up the house, village walkways, etc.

"Gutu"（古突） Culture

On New Year's Eve, the whole family will sit together for a routine "Gutu" meal, similar to the reunion dinner. "Gutu" is a porridge cooked with noodles, mutton, and ginseng.

Hold a "ghost" exorcism ceremony

Every year on the 29th of the twelfth month of the Tibetan calendar to hold a "ghost" exorcism ceremony. (Xigatse Prefecture is on November 29 of the Tibetan calendar, and Nyingchi Prefecture is on September 30 of the Tibetan calendar.) All religious monasteries were held on the same day.

Butter Lamp Festival

On this day, Tibetans decorate Barkhor Street with butter lamps. When night comes, thousands of lamps light up at the same time. These colorful gods, figures, birds, animals, and flowers made of ghee, or tall and magnificent, or small Ling, plus hundreds of lights shining, so that the whole street dazzling, brilliant.

Kalachakra Day and Thangka Unveiling

Every year, May 14th-16th in the Tibetan calendar is the Buddha Exhibition Festival of Tashilhunpo Temple, which has a history of more than 500 years. The Buddha Festival lasts for 3 days and displays different Buddha statues: on the first day, the "past Buddha" (Amitabha), means that people need to remember the past; On the second day, the "present Buddha" (Sakyamuni Buddha), is displayed to let people share today's happy life; "Future Buddha"(Qiangba Buddha), means that people look forward to the future.

Shoton Yogurt Festival

Shoton Yogurt Festival is a traditional Tibetan festival at the end of June and the beginning of July every year in the Tibetan calendar. In Tibetan, "Xue (雪)" means yogurt, and "Dun (顿)" means "eating", so it is also called the "Yogurt Festival".

The traditional Shoton Yogurt Festival begins with the exhibition of Buddha, plays Tibetan opera, watches Tibetan opera, and enjoys the public garden as the main content. At the same time, there are wonderful yak racing and equestrian shows. The 2024 Shoton Yogurt Festival in Lhasa begins on August 4 and ends on August 10, along with the Lhasa International Marathon. The center of the festival is Norbulingka, on the western outskirts of Lhasa.

Spot for photography: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Norbulingka. Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery generally shoot Buddha exhibition activities, while Norbulingka shoots Tibetan opera performances.

Time for photography:   Drepung Monastery: 8:00-13.30      Sera Monastery: 9:30-15:00