Nyemo County Festivals and Activities
There are many different Tibetan festivals and events. Tibetan New Year, the Shoton Festival and the Thangka Festival, when a giant Buddha painting is unfurled, are the highlights. Other festivals are associated with Buddhist monasteries and local traditions and customs.
So a Tibet Nyêmo County tour, especially one including a minority festival, is the ideal way to experience the culture of Tibet.
· Tibet Shoton Festival Aug. 21
Shoton is Tibetan. Sho means ‘yogurt’, while ton means ‘feast’. So the Shoton Festival is the day for eating yogurt. Recently, the main event of Shoton Festival has been Tibetan dramatic operas, so it is called Tibetan Operas Festival.
· Tibetan New Year/Losar — The Most Important Festival in Tibet Feb. 27
Tibetan New Year is the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar, also known as Losar. Losar has rich and interesting activities, including chanting, passing of fire torches, and dancing. However, Tibet is not open to foreigners during the festival.
· Monlam Prayer Festival Mar. 4
The Monlam Prayer Festival, celebrated from the fourth day to the fifteenth day of the Tibetan calendar, is a festival for Buddhists to remember the miracles Buddha did and pray. You can visit the temples and see thousands of Buddhists worship during the Monlam Festival.
· Tibetan Butter Lamp Festival Mar. 12
The Tibetan Butter Lamp Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the Tibetan calendar. On that day, locals and Buddhists use Tibetan butter and pigment to make exquisite sculptures to commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha’s great legend.
