October 18, 2008

China Tibet Tourism-Introduction-Festival-1

The first day of the first month in Tibetan calendar is the Royal New Year that is in February or March according to the Gregorian calendar. This is an important festival of the year for Tibetans. At the beginning of the twelveth month in Tibetan calendar, Tibetans start to prepare the holiday gifts including the "Auspicious Bushel" which is filled with barley flour mixed with butter and fried wheat and ginseng. On the top of the barley flour is inserted the highland barley ears, the cockscomb and the colored flower plat made of butter. Early on the New Year day’s morning, Tibetans, men and women, dressed in their hosliday best carry it in hand to exchange New Year’s greetings and the good wishes to each other, saying "Tashi Delek" which means auspicious or luck. After these few days, they also go to the monasteries nearby to worship Buddha, or sing and dance on the streets, or go to visit their relatives and friends for drinking to their heart’s content to enjoy the New Year together. Everyone is intoxicated with spirit of the festival.

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