Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Festivals and Celebrations in Tibet: Experiencing Tibetan Culture

Tibet, the "Land of the Snows," is not only a place of breathtaking landscapes and spiritual significance but also a land pulsating with vibrant festivals and celebrations. These events offer a window into the rich tapestry of Tibetan culture, traditions, and beliefs.

A Journey Through the Tibetan Calendar:

Tibetan festivals follow the lunar calendar, offering unique experiences throughout the year. Here are some highlights:

  • Losar (Tibetan New Year): This joyous festival, usually falling in February, marks the beginning of the new year. Families gather for feasts, exchange gifts, and participate in lively performances and traditional dances.

  • Saga Dawa: The holiest festival in Tibet, Saga Dawa falls in the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar (usually May/June). Devout Buddhists observe a month of vegetarianism and participate in pilgrimages to sacred sites like Mount Kailash.

  • Shoton Festival: Held in the summer months (around July/August), the Shoton Festival is a lively celebration marking the end of the summer monastic retreat. Monks unfurl giant Thangka paintings, and the festival culminates with open-air opera performances and yogurt-throwing festivities.

  • Horse Racing Festivals: Throughout the year, various regions in Tibet host thrilling horse racing festivals. These events showcase the horsemanship skills of nomadic communities and are accompanied by vibrant cultural displays.

  • Tashilhunpo Thangka Festival: Held annually in Shigatse at the Tashilhunpo Monastery, this festival revolves around the unveiling of a giant Thangka tapestry, a sight that leaves pilgrims and visitors awestruck.

  • Other Celebrations: The Tibetan calendar is dotted with other regional festivals like the Nyingchi Peach Blossom Festival, celebrating spring's beauty, and the Ongkor Festival, expressing gratitude for a bountiful harvest.

Beyond the Spectacle: Cultural Immersion

Festivals in Tibet are more than just joyous celebrations; they are an integral part of life. Participating in these events allows visitors to:

  • Witness centuries-old traditions: Observe monks performing intricate rituals, witness vibrant masked dances, and experience the power of faith.

  • Engage with the local community: Interact with friendly Tibetans, share meals, and learn about their customs and beliefs.

  • Appreciate Tibetan art and music: Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Tibetan culture through traditional music, dance performances, and the vibrant colors of Thangka paintings.

Planning Your Tibetan Festival Experience:

  • Research the dates: Tibetan festivals follow the lunar calendar, so dates vary from year to year. Research specific festivals that interest you and plan your Tibet Tour accordingly.

  • Choose a reputable tour operator: A reliable tour operator can help you navigate cultural nuances, obtain permits, and ensure a safe and enriching experience.

  • Pack appropriately: Be prepared for the weather depending on the season of the festival. Comfortable shoes are essential for navigating crowds and participating in outdoor activities.

  • Respect local customs: Dress modestly when visiting monasteries, and be mindful of religious practices during festivals.

Festivals in Tibet offer a unique opportunity to delve into the heart of Tibetan culture. Witnessing these vibrant celebrations will leave a lasting impression, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the rich traditions of the "Land of the Snows."

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Unveiling the Roof of the World: A Guide to Your Lhasa Tour

Lhasa Tour, a tour to the heart of Tibet, beckons travelers with its spiritual significance, breathtaking scenery, and rich cultural tapestry. Sitting at a high altitude (over 3,600 meters), Lhasa offers a unique experience that blends historical wonders with the vibrant life of Tibetan Buddhism.

Preparing for Your High-Altitude Adventure:

  • Acclimatization is Key: Lhasa's altitude can cause discomfort. Plan to arrive a few days early to allow your body to adjust. Stay hydrated, avoid strenuous activity initially, and consult your doctor if needed.
  • Pack Smart: Layers are essential for unpredictable weather. Bring comfortable shoes for walking, a hat, and sunglasses for the strong sun. Pack light fleece or thermals, and remember respectful clothing for religious sites. Consider a walking stick for steeper climbs.
  • Embrace Cash: While major establishments accept cards, cash is king in Lhasa. ATMs are available, but carrying enough Yuan is recommended.

Exploring Lhasa's Treasures:

  • Potala Palace: The majestic Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once the residence of the Dalai Lama. Explore its grand chambers, courtyards, and serene chapels, and delve into Tibetan history.
  • Jokhang Temple: This sacred temple is the spiritual center of Lhasa. Witness pilgrims circumambulate the temple, soak in the vibrant atmosphere, and admire the countless prayer wheels.
  • Sera Monastery: Witness the fascinating daily debates held by young monks at Sera Monastery. Explore the serene courtyards, and prayer halls, and admire the intricate Buddhist statues.
  • Drepung Monastery: Once the world's largest monastery, Drepung Monastery offers a glimpse into monastic life. Wander through its sprawling complex, marvel at the towering walls, and enjoy panoramic views of Lhasa.
  • Barkhor Bazaar: Immerse yourself in the lively Barkhor Bazaar, a labyrinthine maze of shops selling Tibetan handicrafts, souvenirs, and prayer items.
Tibet Tour

Beyond the City Walls:

  • Norbulingka: Escape the city bustle and explore the Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama's summer palace. Stroll through its serene gardens, admire the traditional Tibetan architecture, and soak in the peaceful atmosphere.
  • Tibetan Nightlife: Experience Tibetan culture through traditional music and dance performances in the evenings. Enjoy a cup of yak butter tea and soak in the vibrant atmosphere.

Respectful Travel:

Tibet has a unique culture and religious significance. Dress modestly when visiting religious sites, be mindful of prayer wheels and rituals, and avoid taking photos without permission.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience:

A Lhasa tour is more than just sightseeing; it's a journey of cultural immersion and spiritual exploration. With careful planning and an open mind, your Lhasa adventure promises to be an unforgettable experience that will leave you breathless, both literally and figuratively. 

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Unveiling the Land of the Thunder Dragon: A Bhutan Tour

Bhutan, nestled in the Himalayas between India and China, beckons travelers with its pristine beauty, rich culture, and focus on happiness. A Bhutan tour transcends a typical vacation; it's a journey into a mystical kingdom steeped in tradition.

Bhutan Tour


Cultural Immersion:

Bhutan's soul resides in its Dzongs, imposing fortress-monasteries that are architectural marvels. Explore Paro Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest, perched precariously on a cliffside. Witness monks in saffron robes chanting prayers and delve into Bhutan's unique form of Buddhism. Hike through serene valleys dotted with prayer flags and charming villages. Immerse yourself in the vibrant festivals, where masked dances and colorful costumes come alive.

Bhutan's Breathtaking Nature:

Bhutan prioritizes environmental conservation, making it a haven for nature lovers. Trek through the enchanting Jigme Dorji National Park, spotting rare birds and the elusive takin, Bhutan's national animal. Explore the Phobjikha Valley, a winter habitat for the endangered black-necked cranes. Breathe in the fresh mountain air and be captivated by the stunning vistas of the Himalayas.

A Glimpse into Happiness:

Bhutan's philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH) prioritizes well-being over material possessions. Interact with the warm and friendly Bhutanese people and experience their genuine hospitality. Unwind in a traditional farmhouse, savoring delicious local delicacies. Discover the simple joys of life in the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

Planning Your Bhutan Tour:

Bhutan enforces a sustainable tourism policy, requiring visitors to book their trip through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator. This ensures a high-quality experience while preserving the country's unique culture and environment.

Bhutan offers a unique travel experience unlike any other. Embark on a Bhutan tour and discover a land where happiness reigns supreme.

Additional Tips:

  • The best time to visit Bhutan is during spring (March-May) or autumn (September-November) for pleasant weather.
  • Bhutanese visas are typically obtained through your chosen tour operator.
  • Pack comfortable shoes for hikes and respectful clothing for visiting religious sites.
  • Be prepared for limited internet access in some areas.

With careful planning and an open mind, a Bhutan tour promises an unforgettable adventure that will leave a lasting impact.

Friday, January 18, 2019

Thing you need to know about Saga Dawa Festival, Tibet


Since quite a while ago covered in legend and riddle, Tibet lies on the top of the world, encompassed by the mountain scopes of Central Asia. In the midst of this loftiness, rising alone from the western Tibetan Plateau stands Mount Kailash, or Kang Rinpoche as it is privately known – the most holy mountain of the world and the natural indication of the vast Mount Meru. Kailash is the focal point of a huge tantric mandala, it is a position of journey and of resurrection, and is venerated by Bon Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain alike. Individuals is celebrating Saga Dawa Festival at Kailash. People is celebrating Saga Dawa Festival at Kailash. Adventure Dawa is known as the "month of merits" for Tibetan Buddhists. Dawa signifies "month" in Tibetan, and "Saga" is the name of a star noticeable in the sky amid the fourth lunar month of the Tibetan date-book when Saga Dawa is watched. Adventure Dawa ordinarily starts in May and finishes in June. The Saga Dawa Festival commends the birth, parinirvana (demise), and illumination of Buddha, and it is trusted that all positive and negative activities are increased accordingly. For Tibetan Buddhists, the long stretch of Saga Dawa is the most propitious time for commendable activities. Worthy acts incorporate journeys to holy places. There are numerous mountains, lakes, caverns and other characteristic destinations in Tibet that have pulled in explorers for a considerable length of time, yet for the Saga Dawa, the most propitious place is the heavenly Mt. Kailash.
While the Saga Dawa is an entire month of worthy activities, there is likewise the Saga Dawa Duchen, which is the day of the full moon in the sacred month of Saga Dawa. Generally, the heavenly day of Saga Dawa Düchen is seen through training, liberality, and the execution of exemplary deeds. Sojin, the act of Life Release, is normally performed by obtaining creatures that are bound to be slaughtered (like worms, crickets, or angle), and discharging them into their characteristic territories with supplications and positive desires. The demonstration of giving life along these lines is accepted to expand the professional or advocate's life expectancy and make positive conditions.
The Saga Dawa Festival is an antiquated celebration that is praised crosswise over Tibet, and in other Buddhist nations too. Tibetan Buddhists endeavor to do what the Buddha said and give charity and implore. It is trusted that imploring and offerings giving and doing demonstrations of kindheartedness amid Saga Dawa and in the blessed month after this duplicates the justified come back to the provider definitely more than on normal days. The event is regularly ruled by ascetic reciting, charm moves, and different religious exercises. Amid the month, numerous Tibetans likewise cease from killing creatures. Tibetans trust that the fifteenth day of the month is extremely exceptional, as Sakyamuni was conceived, achieved Nirvana (edification), and ventured into Parinirvana (demise) on this equivalent day. Individuals do kora around Mt. Kailash amid Saga Dawa Festival people do kora around Mt. Kailash amid Saga Dawa.

Saga Dawa Festival 2019 Tashi Delek Trek


At the Saga Dawa celebration at Mt. Kailash, a standout amongst the most imperative exercises is the kora around heavenly Kailash mountain. A kora is a circumlocution or upheaval of a blessed or sacrosanct place, which is performed by Buddhist, Hindu, and Bon experts as a feature of their journey, function, or religious customs. Tibetans trust that they gather justify on their way to illumination by playing out a kora around a heavenly place, and at Mt. Kailash amid Saga Dawa, it is trusted that the legitimacy is increased multiple times for each circumlocution of the blessed mountain. The Saga Dawa celebration is praised all through Tibet, and the most fabulous of all celebrations is the one held each year at Mount Kailash, in the Ngari prefecture of western Tibet. Consistently tons of individuals accumulate at the blessed mountain, to praise the Saga Dawa, and play out the heavenly kora around the mountain. Being in the territory amid Saga Dawa is an uncommon chance, and not one that ought to be missed. This celebration gives one the perfect chance to see nearby individuals commending a standout among the most vital celebrations in the Tibetan lunar schedule, and an opportunity to encounter this one of a kind culture direct.
Consistently a large number of individuals accumulate at the heavenly mountain every year a great many individuals assemble at the sacred mountain. Individuals travel to the mountain in various ways. While a couple of movement via vehicle, dominant part stroll to the mountain, and some ride steeds to the foot of Mount Kailash. A typical sight in the zone during this season are the a large number of explorers strolling along the soil streets to the site. Because of the enormous quantities of individuals that go to the celebration, there is frequently a police nearness at the foot of the mountain, just to give consolation, in spite of the fact that wrongdoing isn't generally an issue in Tibet. Their primary employment is to watch that the general population and vehicles entering Baga town are enrolled, and for the individuals who wish to enter the custom site, another enlistment is required. For outside voyagers, the Alien's Travel Permit and the Military Permit are required to get the chance to Mount Kailash.
Consistently, another petition flagpole is raised at Tarboche amid the Saga Dawa celebration, and individuals balance new banners on the shaft before it is raised. Every supplication hail speaks to a petition that somebody needs satisfied. The banners are left to fly in the breeze to build the potential for replying. There is a custom that if the post isn't set splendidly upstanding, it implies that Tibet is in a bad position, so it is vital to set the shaft up precisely, and just the best shaft setter is permitted to play out the obligation. In the early morning, you can watch the as the lamas come to play out their Buddhist ceremonies around the flagpole, and pioneers begin their custom stroll around the border of the banners. While the ceremonies are going on, lamas with woodwind instruments play excellent tunes as spectators and admirers alike prepare for the raising of the new flagpole.
The flagpole at Mt. Kailash is around 25 meters in tallness, and is the most astounding flagpole of its sort in Tibet. When the flagpole is up, and the ceremonies have completed, the spectators and admirers toss ground grain on themselves to bring good fortunes, and afterward the travelers begin their stroll around the new flagpole, or their kora around Mt. Kailash. In Tibetan Buddhism, thirteen circles around this blessed flagpole is the identical to one kora around Mt. Kailash in legitimacy, and numerous individuals stroll around the flagpole, which just takes a couple of hours, rather than the three-day trek around the mountain. At the same time the ceremonies and flagpole raising is going on, pioneers are tossing hued pieces of paper, recorded with old Buddhist sacred writings into the air, so the lessons of Buddha will be blown on the breeze to each side of the earth. The entire scene is a standout among the most astonishing sights on the planet, and to see the general population so faithfully following the Buddhist convictions gives one a superior comprehension of how the Tibetan culture and religion interlaces with one another, and the general population's regular day to day existences.

The Saga Dawa Festival holds numerous magnificent and astonishing sights for guests to the locale, and gives a greater amount of an understanding into the general population of Tibet. Numerous travelers go to the site ahead of schedule, to play out the kora around the mountain, and many prostrate themselves on the ground each couple of yards to adore the mountain divine beings. In addition, not just Tibetans go there to revere. Numerous Indian nationals come to Mt. Kailash as of now to love and play out the kora around the blessed mountain, as it is the most holy mountain in the Hindu religion too.
The Saga Dawa Festival is a very profound affair for all included, including the travelers. There is an unmistakable sentiment of veneration all through the procedures, since the central matter of the celebration is to implore. Buddhists trust that the fundamental point of the celebration season in Tibet is to appeal to God for the long existence of all the sacred masters all things considered, for the survival and spreading of Buddha's lessons in the brains of every single aware being, and for world harmony. In addition, guests not just get the chance to watch and experience the serious Buddhist exercises, they additionally get the chance to participate with the petitions, kora, offering of tips to poor people, and can invest energy visiting a portion of the religious communities of Tibet amid this sacred month-long celebration.
Mt. Kailash is in the most distant west of Tibet, in Ngari Prefecture, generally near the Nepal outskirt. At a height of 6,638 meters, it is the most elevated crest in the region, and stands tall and alone over the desolate plain around it. As the holiest mountain in Tibet, Mt. Kailash isn't just a site for playing out the kora at the Saga Dawa, however individuals come lasting through the year, even in the coldest occasions of the year, to walk the kora around the mountain. This sacred trail is 52 kilometers in length, and takes an ordinary individual around three days to trek through and through. For some Tibetan explorers, be that as it may, three days can be excessively short, or excessively long. While some race around the circuit in one day, to aggregate more legitimacy, others take weeks and even a very long time to finish the trek, prostrating themselves each couple of feet in love to the sacred mountain. Completing to Kailash can be reasonably effectively, as long as you have the correct licenses, a guide, and a private vehicle. Since sightseers in Tibet are not allowed to travel alone, all guests to Kailash need to book Kailash visit with a perceived visit administrator, will's identity the ones to acquire your Tibet Travel allow, Alien's Travel allow, and Military Permit, to permit you access to the territory. While this may appear to be an extremely mind boggling strategy just to visit a mountain, Tibet Vista is exceptionally experienced in doing this, and can without much of a stretch get every one of the licenses you will require, with no inconvenience to you.
Another great place to visit while you are in the territory of Mt. Kailash is the holy Lake Manasarovar. Amid the Saga Dawa, the lake is brimming with swans, which convey their own type of effortlessness to this sacred lake. There is a kora that circles the lake, and you can frequently observe Tibetans or Hindus revolving around the lake and supplicating on its shores. Manasarovar is one of the three blessed pools of Tibetan Buddhism, and is the most elevated freshwater lake on the planet at 4,590 meters. It is the wellspring of four of the best streams in Asia, the Brahmaputra, Ghaghara, Sindhu, and Sutlej. For Buddhists and Hindus, it is trusted that by showering free blue waters of the lake you will wash away the entirety of your transgressions.

Friday, June 22, 2018

10 Facts about Mount Kailash


Every year, innumerable tourists and trekkers from different parts of the world visit Mt Kailash, some with the religious belives and some with the hope of catching the glimises of beautiful creation of mother nature. Here are the list of facts about Mt Kailash.

Kailash trip


  • It is a sacred place for not only one religion. It also holds the importance to religions like Hindu, Buddhists, Jains and Bons.
  • Mt Kailash is also the source for four major rivers. Sutlej flows from the west, Brahmaputra (Yarlang Sangpo) from east, Karnali frm south and Indus from north of Mt Kailash.
  • Lake Mansarover has a primiter of 110 kms, which local people usually covers in a single day by walking.
  • The best time to visit the Lake is between 3 am to 5 am in the morning as it is believe this time is when the gods come for the bath in the lake.
  • Myths say Queen Maya was given a bath in the lake by the Gods before Siddhartha(Gautama Buddha) was given birth who later became the founder of Buddhists religion.
  • A dunk in the hallowed waters of Mansarovar are said to wipe off your transgressions from the last 7 births.
  • Gauri Kund – The lake of empathy where Goddess Parvati used to shower
  • The yearly Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs between the months of June to September.
  • Person who is less than 70 years of age can be a part of Mt. Kailash trek as there is an age restriction made by Chinese Government since 2014.
  • Jains refer to Mount Kailash as Mt. Asthapada and believe that their religious founder, Rishavdev, attained Nirvana – The Ultimate Happiness there.