Sonam Lhosar
Different types of cultural festivals are celebrated in Nepal. Lhosar is one of them,The word Lhosar means the beginning of a New Year where “Lho” represents Year or age and “sar” means new or fresh. It is mainly celebrated by the people of the Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung, Dura, Lepcha, and Bhote communities.There are three different types of Lhosars, that is,Tola Lhosar, Sonam Lhosar, and Gyalbo Lhosar, and each Lhosar is held in a different date every year. Sonam Loshar is celebrated mainly by the people of Tamang community. This Lhosar represents the start of a new year in the Tibetan calender which is made of 12 lunar months. The celebration of this Lhosar differs in Tibeto-Burman Community.
How is the Sonam Lhosar Celebrated?
Sonam Lhosar is the year of a Wood Horse. The Lhosar is celebrated by visiting monasteries and stupas where special rituals with mask dance are performed to drive away evil spirits. The day before Sonam Lhosar is the last day of 12th month of the tibetan calendar is the time to clean and prepare a clean atmosphere to welcome the New Year. People of Tamang community go to monasteries, stupas and chaityas and perform various ceremonial rituals.
People wear new clothes and clean their house througly to sweep away the negative forces and with a hope of making a way for upcoming good luck. Houses are decorated beautifully with colourful papers, clothes and themes of happiness, wealth etc.Tamang people also wear their traditional dresses and jewelry, participate in different types of cultural events, and exchange the greetings with one another.
People prepare huge feasts for their family member with various dishes like Pork, chicken, mutton, fish, and sweet deserts. They perform their Tamang Selo’s in the beat of Damfu which is a cultural musical instrument of Tamangs. The songs are mainly related to humor, wit, philosophical thoughts and of joys and sorrows of life. Sonam Lhosar also brings lots of joys and happiness, as well as unifies the people other communities with Tamang communities.
