Ladakhi Losar (New year)

A festival in Tibetan Buddhism Losar is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. The Fiesta marks the New Year and is one of the most noted festivals in Ladakh. The celebrations proceed with the Ladakhi Buddhists making make a religious offering before their deities in the Gompas or local monasteries.

Nevertheless, it is one of the must-see festivals of Ladakh. If you are traveling to this newly made Union Territory, for the chadar trek or during winter vacations, then do become a part of this colorful and electrifying festival of Ladakh.

Where is Losar Festival celebrated?

Losar Festival in Ladakh is celebrated throughout the region. Not one or two places or monasteries; the entire place gets dipped in the colors of the festival.

Why is the festival of Losar celebrated?

The Losar Festival in Ladakh is celebrated with a lot of zeal by the locals because it is the most important festival for them. It marks the beginning of their new Tibetan year that makes it the most important festival in this UT.

This is a 15-days long festival that sees travelers from around the country becoming a part of the event. The Losar festival falls during the winters, anywhere between 8th and 30th December.

How Is the Losar Festival Ladakh celebrated?

This is a top festival in Ladakh and if you become a part of it- you will understand its importance amongst the locals. On the first day of this festival, you will see a lot of things happening around you. There is a large-scale celebration that happens throughout Ladakh at multiple sacred places. People gather at these places and perform rituals, folk dances, music performances, and much more.

A lot of special ceremonies are also conducted by the monks/ Lamas in different monasteries. All of this together makes the entire UT a beautiful and delightful place to be at. Moreover, all the houses are cleaned and special food items are cooked at every house to embark the celebration. Offerings are made to the Buddhist gods and goddesses. Metho is carried out during the evening in the streets.

How to reach and the best time to visit

The festival is celebrated during the winters and Ladakh is inaccessible via road. To become a part of this colorful and heart-warming festival, one has to take a flight to Leh airport. The inner circuit of Ladakh is open throughout the year. You can either take a cab or hire a bike to reach the monasteries and other areas where celebrations are done.

Highlights of Losar Festival Ladakh

• Special dishes are cooked
• Folk Dances and music performances are carried
• Evening Metho is carried out
• Special prayers and food offerings are done at monasteries