| 76. Q: What are the important Tibetan festivals? | |
A: In general, Tibetan festivals have a strong ethnic and religious flavor. The first day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar is known as the King's New Year. This is the most important festival of the year. Early on New year's day morning, Tibetan men and women, dressed in their holiday best, go out to exchange New year greetings and good wishes. They also go to the monastery, or sing and dance on the street, but may not visit relatives and friends.
The 15th day of the first month is the Butter Lantern Festival. During the day, people go to the monastery, while at night, a butter lantern fair is held on Lhasa's Barkor Street, which is lined with racks displaying various butter sculptures, depicting deities, human figures, birds and animals, and plants and flowers. Puppet shows are also performed to add a festive atmosphere. In rural areas, people participate in antiphonal singing contests, which sometimes go on for days at a time. this is the most celebrated festival in Lhasa.
The fourth month of the Tibetan calendar is Buddhist Month, the 15th day of which is the anniversary of Sakyamuni's birth and nirvana. During this month the Tibetan people pray for bumper harvest. The 15th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar is the Lingka Festival, or the World Happiness Day, when people dress in their best and go picnicking in parks.
The Shoton Festival lasts from the first to the 30th day of the seventh month. It is concurrent with the summer prayer meetings of the three most famous monasteries in Lhasa. Since a large amount of yogurt needs to be supplied to lamas attending the prayer meetings, and Tibetan operas are performed on these occasions, the festival is named Shoton- sho meaning yogurt, and ton meaning meeting. At this time, professional and amateur performing troupes gather at Norbu Lingka to stage Tibetan operas. Around the 10th day of the month, the troupes go out to perform in cities, towns, monasteries and suburbs. Nowadays, trade fairs are also held during the Shoton Festival.
The eighth month of the Tibetan calendar is the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival, when Tibetan people sing and dance, stage songfests, hold horse races and bull fights, put on archery, stone carrying and wrestling matches and other folk sports activities to celebrate harvest. The 15th day of the 10th month is the Goddess Festival, when religious rites are held. Women are especially active at this festival, since they consider it as their own celebration. The 25th day of the of the month is the Butter Lamp Festival, which commemorates the enlightenment of Tsongkhapa, when people place burning butter lamps on the roofs of monasteries and their homes. The 29th day of the 12th month is the Ghost-Dispelling Festival, when monasteries sponsor ceremonial dances to dispel evil spirits and pray for a bountiful harvest in the coming year. Ceremony at the Potala Palace is always the grandest. |
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