Happy Sonam Lhochhar
Happy Lochhar
Happy Losar
Happy Lhosar
Happy New year 2848 to all Tamangs
Sonam Losar falls on different dates each year in Bikram Sambat and English calendar. This calendar is ancient Tibetan/Chinese lunar calendar. The New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice (rarely the third if an intercalary month intervenes). That is it is on Magh Sukla Pratipada, under eastern lunar calendar.
Tamang has a tradition of counting year with association of symbols of 12 different animals. It starts with Rat and ends on Boar.
Note: The new year celebration dates may vary one or two days
How do we celebrate Sonam Losar?
The last day of 12th month of the year is a time to clean and prepare a welcoming atmosphere for New Year. The monasteries perform a special ritual with mask dance to expel negative forces.
The New Year celebration varies. People go to Monasteries, Stupas and Chaityas and perform ceremonial rituals there.
People buy new dresses and decorate their houses according to their living standards. Tradition is there every family member thoroughly cleans their house to sweep away any bad fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors are decorated with colorful papers and cloths and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity". People get together and have dinner with families.
The feasts include items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet deserts.
Musical programs are performed with Tamang Selo in the beat of Damfu.
Now-a-days Tamangs in Kathmandu and nearby gather in Tudikhel to celebrate of Soman Losar. They organized different programs there. The attractions are generally pooja, Lok Dohari competitions, Food Festivals, Dramas, etc.
Tamangs are seen in their own costume dresses. The Tudekhel (Open public ground in heart of Kathmandu city) is full with the crowd with Losar celebrations. Women and girls wear their dresses and jewelry and most of them wear a traditional hat.
Losar brings joy to all Tamang and Nepali as a whole.
