Losar Festival
₹ 218 onwards
View Leh Ladakh PackagesWeather :
Tags : Fairs & Festivals
Losar in Ladakh Dates 2025 : The next Losar festival in Ladakh is to be held on February 28 to March 2, 2025.
Losar Festival, Leh Ladakh Overview
The Losar Festival is one of the most important and vibrant festivals celebrated in Ladakh, marking the Tibetan New Year. Known for its deep-rooted cultural significance, colorful traditions, and joyous festivities, Losar 2025 will be held from Saturday, December 20, 2025, to Saturday, January 3, 2026. This two-week celebration is a unique opportunity to witness the rich heritage of Ladakh and its deep connection to Tibetan Buddhism.
What is Losar Festival?
The Losar Festival, which translates to "New Year" in Tibetan, is a significant cultural and spiritual celebration observed by Tibetan Buddhists. It signifies the end of winter and the start of a new year, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar. Losar is celebrated with great fervor in Ladakh, showcasing the region's traditional customs, spiritual practices, and hospitality.The festival combines Buddhist rituals, family gatherings, community prayers, and colorful events that create a lively and welcoming atmosphere across Ladakh.
Losar Festival 2025 Dates and Duration
Start Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025End Date: Saturday, January 3, 2026
Duration: 15 days of rituals, cultural performances, and community celebrations.
Significance of Losar Festival
source
- Offer Gratitude: Pay homage to deities and thank them for the past year's blessings.
- Cleanse Negativity: Engage in rituals to remove bad luck and welcome positive energy.
- Strengthen Community Bonds: Participate in communal feasts and activities to foster unity.
- Celebrate New Beginnings: Perform religious rites to ensure prosperity and happiness in the coming year.
Highlights of Losar Festival 2025 in Ladakh
1. House Cleaning and Decorating
Before Losar begins, Ladakhi households undergo a thorough cleaning to remove any negativity. Homes are adorned with traditional symbols, colorful scarves, and prayer flags to welcome good fortune.2. Religious Ceremonies
The festival starts with prayers and offerings at monasteries. Lamas perform sacred rituals, including burning incense, lighting butter lamps, and chanting mantras to invoke blessings for the new year.3. Cham Dances
Monks in elaborate costumes and masks perform Cham dances to depict tales of good versus evil. These dances are a major highlight of the festival, drawing locals and tourists alike.4. Cultural Performances
Traditional music and folk dances are performed during Losar. Locals dress in vibrant traditional attire, adding color and vibrancy to the celebrations.5. Special Cuisine
Losar is synonymous with delicious Ladakhi food. Families prepare traditional dishes like guthuk (a noodle soup), khapsay (fried biscuits), and local barley wine called chang, which are shared with neighbors and guests.6. Procession of the Gods
One of the unique rituals involves a symbolic procession where deities are carried around the villages to bless the people and the land.7. Exchange of Gifts
Exchanging gifts and greeting one another with the phrase “Tashi Delek” is a key aspect of Losar. It symbolizes goodwill and the strengthening of community bonds.The Days of Losar
source
- Day 1 (December 20): Preparations begin with cleaning and decorating homes, as well as preparing special food for the celebrations.
- Day 2-3: Monasteries host rituals and prayers, with the burning of incense and lighting of lamps to invoke blessings.
- Day 4-6: Cham dances and cultural performances take place in prominent monasteries like Hemis Monastery and Thiksey Monastery.
- Day 7-9: Community feasts and processions are held in villages, creating a festive and joyous atmosphere.
- Final Days: Families spend time together, exchanging gifts, visiting loved ones, and expressing gratitude for the year.
Top Places to Visit During Losar in Ladakh
source
Hemis Monastery: Known for its grand Cham dances and religious ceremonies during Losar.
Thiksey Monastery: Offers panoramic views and hosts various spiritual events.
Diskit Monastery: A serene spot to enjoy Losar festivities amidst Ladakh's stunning landscapes.
Read More
Read More on Losar Festival
How is the Losar Festival Celebrated? – The Ibex & the Metho
Since Losar is the celebration of Tibetan Buddhist New Year, therefore much goes into its preparations and celebrations by the devotees.
Here is a description of how the Losar festival unfolds in Ladakh:
The Preparations
Preparations begin much before the date of Losar festival celebrations. The performers start choreographing and rehearsing for cultural activities which include songs, dance, and plays. People clean their houses and discard any signs of evil from the locality, i.e. old goods. Homes are stored with food items for the festivity beforehand. Houses and monasteries are decorated for the auspicious occasion, and people prepare offerings for the deities much in advance. People put portraits of ibex in their homes, which is considered as an omen of fertility. Also, ibex models are made of dough for the occasion.
Offerings to the Goddess
Early in the morning of the Losar festival, offerings are made to Goddess Palden Lhamho by the monks of Namgyal Monastery. Prayers are made for the well-being of the people, and the Dalai Lama leads the ceremony.
Cultural Events
Traditional songs and folk dance forms are performed within the monasteries to celebrate the occasion. People take part in the festivity with much enthusiasm; and people belonging to all backgrounds, castes, and religions join this New Year celebration.
Meeting the Acquaintances
The younger members of the household go out and meet their friends and relatives, whereas the older members stay back home to welcome the youngsters who pay visits to the house. Gifts are exchanged between families and friends, thus strengthening the bond between people.
The Procession of Metho
A procession is carried out by the devotees in the evening of Losar to mark the occasion through the streets of Ladakh. This procession is known as Metho, in which the people take torches alighted with fire in their hands and lead through the streets, lanes and markets of Ladakh. They chant sacred slogans as the procession leads ahead. It is believed that the parade of Metho cleanses the region off evil spirits.
These torches are then thrown out of the region to, symbolically, ward off the evil of the previous year and welcome the new year.
Here is a description of how the Losar festival unfolds in Ladakh:
The Preparations
Preparations begin much before the date of Losar festival celebrations. The performers start choreographing and rehearsing for cultural activities which include songs, dance, and plays. People clean their houses and discard any signs of evil from the locality, i.e. old goods. Homes are stored with food items for the festivity beforehand. Houses and monasteries are decorated for the auspicious occasion, and people prepare offerings for the deities much in advance. People put portraits of ibex in their homes, which is considered as an omen of fertility. Also, ibex models are made of dough for the occasion.
Offerings to the Goddess
Early in the morning of the Losar festival, offerings are made to Goddess Palden Lhamho by the monks of Namgyal Monastery. Prayers are made for the well-being of the people, and the Dalai Lama leads the ceremony.
Cultural Events
Traditional songs and folk dance forms are performed within the monasteries to celebrate the occasion. People take part in the festivity with much enthusiasm; and people belonging to all backgrounds, castes, and religions join this New Year celebration.
Meeting the Acquaintances
The younger members of the household go out and meet their friends and relatives, whereas the older members stay back home to welcome the youngsters who pay visits to the house. Gifts are exchanged between families and friends, thus strengthening the bond between people.
The Procession of Metho
A procession is carried out by the devotees in the evening of Losar to mark the occasion through the streets of Ladakh. This procession is known as Metho, in which the people take torches alighted with fire in their hands and lead through the streets, lanes and markets of Ladakh. They chant sacred slogans as the procession leads ahead. It is believed that the parade of Metho cleanses the region off evil spirits.
These torches are then thrown out of the region to, symbolically, ward off the evil of the previous year and welcome the new year.
What is the History of Losar Festival? – Two Tales of Change
In the region comprising of Tibet and thereabouts, an ancient tradition of Bon religion existed before the advent of Tibetan Buddhism into the region. A festival was celebrated on the date where the followers of Bon religion offered incenses to the spirits. However, this tradition was incorporated into the Buddhist religious ceremony later and became the occasion of New Year of Tibetan Buddhism.
In Ladakh today, the Losar festival is celebrated on the first day of the eleventh month of Tibetan Buddhist lunar calendar, which is two months too early from the date on which the Losar New Year is celebrated elsewhere, be it Nepal or Tibet or Bhutan. This uniqueness of date in the case of Ladakh is thanks to a historical event that occurred in the region.
The 17th-century king of Ladakh, Jamyang Namgyal wanted to lead an expedition of the Balti forces. However, an attack at the time of New Year was considered inauspicious. Therefore, to not delay his attack, he made changes with the date of New Year for the people of the region. Thus the Losar New Year in Ladakh began to be celebrated on the first day of the Eleventh month of the Buddhist lunar year.
Losar is a festival of warding off evil and celebrating the goodness. It is a celebration of bringing auspiciousness into the households and the region, and of strengthening bonds with kinfolks and acquaintances. It is celebrated throughout the Ladakh region with much enthusiasm, and people look forward to it as an occasion of much significance.
In Ladakh today, the Losar festival is celebrated on the first day of the eleventh month of Tibetan Buddhist lunar calendar, which is two months too early from the date on which the Losar New Year is celebrated elsewhere, be it Nepal or Tibet or Bhutan. This uniqueness of date in the case of Ladakh is thanks to a historical event that occurred in the region.
The 17th-century king of Ladakh, Jamyang Namgyal wanted to lead an expedition of the Balti forces. However, an attack at the time of New Year was considered inauspicious. Therefore, to not delay his attack, he made changes with the date of New Year for the people of the region. Thus the Losar New Year in Ladakh began to be celebrated on the first day of the Eleventh month of the Buddhist lunar year.
Losar is a festival of warding off evil and celebrating the goodness. It is a celebration of bringing auspiciousness into the households and the region, and of strengthening bonds with kinfolks and acquaintances. It is celebrated throughout the Ladakh region with much enthusiasm, and people look forward to it as an occasion of much significance.
Where is the Losar Festival Celebrated?
The Losar festival is celebrated in the Ladakh. The festival is celebrated all over the area by the followers of the Tibetan Buddhist faith. Special ceremonies are held in the monasteries of Ladakh on occasion.
How to Reach Ladakh
The nearest railway station from Ladakh is the Jammu Tawi Railway Station, which is located at an approximate distance of 700 kilometres from the city of Leh, from where roadways can be taken to reach the desired destinations. Taxis are available for the visitors.
However, the nearest airport from Ladakh is the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, which is only at a distance of about 3 kilometres from Leh. Airways happen to be the most convenient of ways to Ladakh. One can reach Ladakh by roadways too. The Manali Highway and the Srinagar Highway are favourable routes to head for Ladakh by a motorbike, a taxi, or a jeep.
How to Reach Ladakh
The nearest railway station from Ladakh is the Jammu Tawi Railway Station, which is located at an approximate distance of 700 kilometres from the city of Leh, from where roadways can be taken to reach the desired destinations. Taxis are available for the visitors.
However, the nearest airport from Ladakh is the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, which is only at a distance of about 3 kilometres from Leh. Airways happen to be the most convenient of ways to Ladakh. One can reach Ladakh by roadways too. The Manali Highway and the Srinagar Highway are favourable routes to head for Ladakh by a motorbike, a taxi, or a jeep.
Losar Festival Reviews
Your rating
Have a Question on Losar Festival?
experience.