China Tibet Tourism-Introduction-Festival-15

Losar--Tibetan New Year
Tibetan New Year (1st-3rd day of the 1st lunar month)

It is the greatest festival in Tibet. In ancient times when the peach tree was in blossom, it was considered as the starting of a new year.
Since the systematization of the Tibetan calendar in 1027 A.D., the first day of the first month became fixed as the New Year. On the New Year's Day, families unite "auspicious dipper" is offered and the auspicious words ¡°tashi delek" are greeted.
The Tibetan New Year is known as 'Losar', the most popular of all the festivals of the year, when even young Tibetans wear chuba and pay their first visit of the year to a temple with their family early in the morning. On New Year's Day, Tibetans are supposed to offer ornaments called 'Chemar' and chang beer to their households¡¯ deity and to the water dragon that takes care of their water supply. Be careful as the chang served is strong enough to get drunk.
After saying 'Tashi Delek' and exchanging greetings with neighbors, Tibetans do nothing but feast on the food and drink that they have painstakingly prepared. They visit each others feasts and have parties full of drinking and singing. The men don't miss an opportunity to enjoy gambling, with games of 'Sho' (dice), 'Pakchen' (mah-jong), etc. On New Year's Day everyone spends time with their family or neighbors and then start paying visits to their relatives on the second day. Children also have a good time New Year's gifts of candies, etc.
On the 3rd day they replace the year old tar-choks and dar-shings on the roof of their houses with new ones and burn thick bunches of 'Sang' (fragrant grasses). After so much feasting it is no wonder that Tibetans take days off after the celebrations. Other nationalities such as the Han and Hui have their own New Year celebrations according to different calendars but the shopkeepers among them are said to be too scared to even open their shops during Tibetan Losar, due to the mobs of drunk Tibetans.
The Story of Losar
Happy Losar (Tibetan New Year). Tibetans all over the world celebrated Tibetan New Year. The word Losar is a Tibetan word for New Year. LO means year and SAR means new.
The celebration of Losar can be traced back to the pre-Buddhist period in Tibet. During the period when Tibetans practiced the Bon religion, every winter a spiritual ceremony was held, in which people offered large quantities of incense to appease the local spirits, deities and protectors. This religious festival later evolved into an annual Buddhist festival which is believed to have originated during the reign of Pude Gungyal, the ninth King of Tibet. The festival is said to have begun when an old woman named Belma introduced the measurement of time based on the phases of the moon. This festival took place during the flowering of the apricot trees of the Lhokha Yarla Shampo region in autumn, and it may have been the first celebration of what has become the traditional farmers' festival. It was during this period that the arts of cultivation, irrigation, refining iron from ore and building bridges were first introduced in Tibet. The ceremonies which were instituted to celebrate these new capabilities can be recognized as precursors of the Losar festival. Later when the rudiments of the science of astrology, based on the five elements, were introduced in Tibet, this farmer's festival became what we now call the Losar or New Year's festival.
The calendar is made up of twelve lunar months and Losar begins on the first day of the first month. In the monasteries, the celebrations for the Losar begin on the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth month. That is the day before the Tibetan New Year's Eve. On that day the monasteries do a protector deities' puja (a special kind of ritual) and begin preparations for the Losar celebrations. The custom that day is to make special noodle called guthuk. It is made of nine different ingredients including dried cheese and various grains. Also, dough balls are given out with various ingredients hidden in them such as chilies, salt, wool, rice and coal. The ingredients one finds hidden in one's dough ball are supposed to be a lighthearted comment on one's character. If a person finds chilies in their dough, it means they are talkative. If white-colored ingredients like salt, wool or rice are inside the dough it is considered a good sign. If a person finds coal in the dough it has much the same meaning as finding coal in one's Christmas stocking; it means you have a "black heart".
The last day of the year is a time to clean and prepare for the approaching New Year. In the monasteries it is a day of preparations. The finest decorations are put up and elaborate offerings are made of called "Lama Losar". In the early dawn of this day, the monks of Namgyal Monastery offer a sacrificial cake (Tse- tor) on top of the main temple (Potala in Tibet) to the supreme hierarchy of Dharma protectors, the glorious goddess Palden Lhamo. The abbots of three great monasteries, lamas, reincarnated monks, government officials and dignitaries join the ceremony and offer their contemplative prayers, while the monks of Namgyal Monastery recite the invocation of Palden Lhamo. After the completion of this ceremony, all assemble in the hall called Excellence of Samsara and Nirvana for a formal greeting ceremony. Seated on his or her respective cushions, everyone exchanges the traditional greeting, "Tashi delek".
Consecrated long-life pills (tse-ril) made out of roasted barley dough is offered to him by the representatives of the three great monasteries, the two Tantric Colleges, etc. Then entertainers (garma) perform a dance of good wishes. And two senior monks stage a debate on Buddhist philosophy, and conclude their debate with an auspicious recitation composed especially for the event, in which the whole spectrum of Buddhist teaching is first briefly reviewed. A request is made to His Holiness and to all holders of the doctrine to remain for a long time amongst beings in samsara in order to serve them through their enlightened activities. The official ceremony of the day then concludes with a ceremonial farewell.
The second day of Losar is known as King's Losar (gyal-po lo-sar) because officially the day is reserved for a secular gathering in the hall of Excellence of Samsara and Nirvana. His Holiness and his government exchange greetings with both monastic and lay dignitaries, such as representatives of China, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Mongolia and other foreign visitors. Then from the third day onwards, the people and monks begin to celebrate and enjoy the festive season. In Tibet before the Chinese came, Losar had been celebrated for fifteen days or more. In India today we celebrate for three days, and in America we have minimized it to one day. In this way the three days of the New Year celebration officially concludes.
Dates of the Tibetan New Year
The Tibetan New Year is reglemented by the systematization of the Tibetan calendar in 1027 and follows the Chinese New Year. Before that, the year started in Tibet with the blossoming of the peaches. On this day, families unite greeting with the auspicious "tashi delek".
22 January 2004 Thursday
9 February 2005 Wednesday
29 January 2006 Sunday
18 February 2007 Sunday
7 February 2008 Thursday
26 January 2009 Monday
14 February 2010 Sunday
Tibetan New Year in different areas
Different from the Han people, however, Tibetans living in different areas celebrate their Lunar New Year in different ways and in different time.
Lhasa
In the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, the holiday begins on the 29th day of the 12th Tibetan month. During the holiday which usually lasts one week in urban areas of Lhasa and two weeks in the countryside, new clothes are made, houses and monasteries alike are cleaned from top to bottom, various shapes of kase (fried wheat twists) are made, and walls are painted.
The family's best carpets and finest silver are also brought out. The Eight Auspicious Symbols, which appear as protective motifs throughout Tibetan-populated areas, are painted in strategic locations. Butter lamps are lit. Flowers are placed on altars. Piles of juniper, cedar, rhododendron, and other fragrant branches are prepared for burning as incense. On Tibetan New Year's Eve, the family gather around a steaming hot pot of dumpling soup called gortu. Some of the dumplings have surprises wrapped in them. As the meal begins, each person opens one of these special dumplings. The object one finds will indicate, much like a fortune cookie, that person's personality. If one finds salt, that is a good sign and means that one is all right; the one who finds wool is very lazy; coal indicates maliciousness; a white stone foretells a long life; pepper means that one has a glib tongue. Everyone takes what is left in their bowl and dumps it back into the pot, as well as a piece of hair, a fingernail, and an old piece of clothing at the end of the meal. A dough effigy which represents the collective evil and ill will of the past 12 months is made and put in on top of everything else.
A woman carries the pot out of the house. A man follows her with a burning torch made of wheat stalks shouting: "Get out! Get out!" Then, the whole family moves to the middle of an intersection of roads or paths, where they throw away the remains of the gortu and the burning torch while the children set off firecrackers. So the city of Lhasa is illuminated by torches and resonant with the sound of firecrackers. This ceremony is conducted to get rid of all the negative forces at the end of the year so that the New Year will begin unencumbered. In the morning of New Year's Day, the family rise early, put on their new clothes and finest jeweler, make offerings of barley flour mixed with butter and sugar at the family shrine, and then go to monasteries after breakfast. On that morning, tens of thousands of Tibetans swarm into the Jokhang, Zhaibung and Sera monasteries, and the Potala Palace, all in Lhasa, to worship Buddha. People add roasted highland barley, wheat, and juniper and cedar branches into the burning incense burners on Barkhor Square. Smoke fills the area. On the second day of the Tibetan New Year, people begin visiting their relatives and friends. They feast on rich holiday foods, drink highland barley liquor, play mahjong, dice and card games, and sing and dance around huge bonfires at night. The revelry continues for from three to five days.
Xigaze Prefecture
Like their peers in Lhasa, Tibetans in Xigaze Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region launch their Tibet Lunar New Year holiday on December 29th of the Tibet lunar calendar. On that afternoon, local Tibetan men wash their hair after cleaning their houses and painting the Eight Auspicious Symbols on the walls. It is said that this will help the men have black and shiny hair and bring good luck to the family. Women cannot wash their hair that afternoon because it would have the opposite effect. On New Year's Eve, the same ceremony to drive out evil spirits is carried out in every family. Instead of throwing away the remains of the gortu and the burning torch, the men of the family climb onto a hill far from the house and burn a boiled sheep head until black, which will be offered at the family shrine as a sacrifice. As a result, the day has become known as "the smelly last day." The young men and women get up around dawn on New Year's Day. Dressed in their festive best, some of them climb onto hills to erect new prayer flags for the village. Prayer flags are square pieces of fabric with prayers printed on them, strung together and hung from a large timber flagpole. Each flutter of a flag in the wind is another recitation of the prayer printed on it, for the benefit of the community. The others go to streams or wells for "new water." Then the family will have a lunch at which they share a sheep's head, sausages and wheat porridge, and drink highland barley liquor on the first day of the first Tibetan month. In the second day of the new year, all families gather in their neighborhood squares to burn juniper branches and offer highly alcoholic barley liquor and snacks as sacrifice to the area's deity of the land and protector deities. Starting on the third day of the New Year, banquets for friends and relatives are held one after another.
Amdo region
The Amdo region refers to Tibetan areas in Qinghai Province, southwestern Gansu Province and northwestern Sichuan Province. Most of the region is covered with vast grasslands. Tibetans living there are mainly nomads. For the Amdo Tibetan nomads, the first thing to be done on the morning of the Tibetan Lunar New Year is always to climb to the top of a hill near their settlement and try to be the first person to burn juniper branches to worship the local protector deities. It is a great honor to be the first to burn juniper branches, for he or she has the right to sound the white conch to inform the others living around the hill and the first smoke can be seen for a great distance. Other people at the top of the hill will then add more juniper and cedar branches to the fire and offer liquor and highland barley flour to the local protector deities. Different from Lhasa and Xigaze, house cleaning and water drawing are prohibited on New Year's Day in many areas of the Amdo region. In some Amdo areas, men get up early in the morning of New Year's Day and run toward the cow or sheep sheds to see in which direction the animals are pointing while they sleep. Wherever their heads point, whether east, south, west or north, that direction will have auspicious conditions in the New Year. Cows and sheep will be painted with three colors or tied with five-color cloth stripes, and made to move in that direction for some distance to ensure the good luck.
Nyingchi Prefecture
In this Eastern Tibet prefecture, the holidays for the 2004 Tibetan Lunar New Year will at this time actually be over, because the residents of the prefecture in eastern Tibet celebrate the Tibetan Lunar New Year on the first day of the 10th Tibetan lunar month. The special local custom began in 1904. That year, news came to Nyingchi that the invading British troops were arriving. Local Tibetan men in Nyingchi Prefecture began preparing to join the fight against the British invaders to defend their home villages. In order not to miss the new year celebrations, the local people decided to hold the festival events before the men left for the battle field. This happened on the first day of the 10th Tibetan lunar month, and the tradition has stuck until this day. The locals are fond of dogs, as the region boasts dense forests and dogs are not only guards of houses, but also men's hunting helpers. During the New Year's Eve, dogs are invited to share food with their masters. Traditionally, the food the dogs choose to eat will be abundant in the coming year.
So, if people miss the chance of enjoying the Tibetan Lunar New Year in Nyingchi in the 10th Lunar Month, they still have another chance to enjoy it in other parts of Tibet

China Tibet Tourism-Introduction-Festival-14

Winter festivals in Tibet

Losar -- Tibetan New Year
Dates: Known as Losar, it starts from first to third of the first Tibetan month.
Place: Tibet
Activities:
The Tibetan New Year is the most important festival in Tibet. It is an occasion when Tibetan families reunite and expect a better new year. Specially made offerings are offered to family shrine deities; doors are painted with religious symbols; and other painstaking jobs are done to prepare for the event. On the New Year's Eve, Tibetans eat barley crumb food (Guthuk in Tibetan) with their families. Before the dawn on the New Year's Day, housewives fetch their first buckets of water in the new year home and prepare breakfast. After dressing up, people open their doors upon prayers and go to monasteries. People visit their neighborhoods and exchange their Tashi Delek blessings in the first two days. Feasting is the theme during the session. On the third day, old prayer flags will be replaced with new ones.
Great Prayer Festival
Dates: It falls on January 4-11 of the Tibetan calendar
Place: Tibet and Gansu Province
Activities:
The Great Prayer Festival, known as "Monlam" in Tibetan, is the grandest religious festival in the year for Tibetans. It usually occurs in February of the Gregorian calendar. The event was established in 1049. Religious dances are performed and thousands of monks and Buddhists gather for chanting before the Jokhang Temple. Examination for Geshe degree (the highest degree in Buddhist theology), taking form of sutra debates, is held. Pilgrims crowd to listen to sermons and to make religious donations.
Butter Lamp Festival
Dates: It takes place on January 15 of the Tibetan calendar.
Place: Tibet
The Butter Lamp Festival, or Chunga Choepa in Tibetan, falls on the 15th day of the first Tibetan month. The event was also established by Tsong Khapa to celebrate the victory of Sakyamuni against heretics in a religious debate. Various giant butter and tsampa sculptures, in forms of auspicious symbols and figures, are displayed on the Barkhor Street in Lhasa. By nightfall the street is brightly lit with thousands of lamps made of butter in an intriguing assortment of designs. People keep singing and dancing to pray for blessings throughout the night.
Tsong Khapa's Festival
Dates: It falls on October 15th of Tibetan calendar.
Place: Tibet
Activities:
The Tsong Khapa's Festival marks the anniversary of the death of Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Gelukpa sect. On this night, countless butter lamps are lit on the rooftops of houses and temples, and prayers are chanted, to memorize the passing away of Tsong Khapa.
Tibetan Meadow Festival
Dates: It is celebrated on early January of Tibetan calendar, and lasts about one week.
Place: Tibet
Activities:
Prior to the festival, every family tidies up the house. According to the customs of the Tibetans, people pour out sewage and rubbish toward the west when the sun is setting down the west. It means to have all stuff harmful to the human health disappear.
During the first three days of the festival, it is a custom for the villagers not to go out of the village. All of them watch the sorcerer's dance in a trance, which is a kind of the traditional religious dance.
In the next three days, people bring elders and young to drop into the village, and greet each other for a merry festival.
Molang Qinbo Festival
Dates: It is held on January 15 of Tibetan calendar.
Place: Tibet
Activities:
During the ceremony, lamas from the three large temples and other monasteries assemble in the city, reciting scripture in groups. In addition, the examination will be given to acquire the "Gexi" scholarship degree.
Kongpo Traditional Festival
Dates: The Kongpo people declare an early New Year on October 1 of Tibetan calendar.
Place: Kongpo area
Activities:
The festival continues to this day and memorializes the brave soldiers who were prepared to defend their homeland and miss the New Year celebration. The festival begins with the presentation of three sacrifices and then continues nonstop with such entertainment as Kongpo dancing, horse racing, archery, and shooting.

China Tibet Tourism-Introduction-Festival-13

Going is good to exciting at dama festival horse race

After years of looking at picture books and postcards and listening to the tales of those who had been there, I had become a big fan of Tibet's breathtaking landscapes and unique culture.So it was great anticipation that I set off for the snowy lands last month for my first visit. But I was also nervous travelling to a very tight schedule. We began in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
We wanted to make it to Gyantse, the small ancient city in Xigaze Prefecture in southwest Tibet. The historic seat hosts the famous Dama Festival, a five-day jamboree of theatre, horse and yak racing, archery, dancing and singing. Farmers, herdsmen and locals flock to the city's streets to join in the party which has a history of at least 500 years.
We spent 12 hours bumping along a winding road from Lhasa but the endurance was worth it because we spent the last two days of the colourful, exciting event socking up the carnival atmosphere.The Dama Festival is held each year usually on July 20-25. We arrived at midnight and made for our hotel to ensure an early rise the next morning.
The Dama FestivalWe were told by the tour guide that the next day we would see the final stages of the horse racing, followed by a massive costume parade, an awards-giving ceremony and the closing ceremony.
After a hasty breakfast, we went to the flat area near the Dzong, or the old fort, which is the main venue for the festival. We arrived there at about 8 o'clock, hoping to find an advantageous position with a good view for the racing.
We were somewhat surprised however, to find that thousands of race-goers had already occupied the hills near the race ground and that hundreds of tents were erected in the woods and on the grassy area around the race track. But no wonder this event was proving to be the most popular of the long carnival.
The Dama Festival literally mean "archery on horseback" in Tibetan. For many years, the festival was held over five to seven days taking place from the 10th to the 28th day of the fourth month as dictated by the Tibetan calendar, locals told us.But in 1996, it was changed to the Gregorian calendar and was held in July. The reason was July was considered the slack period for farming. The festival was originated in the area and was part of a noble and religious ritual in ancient times.
According to local records, Gyantse Prince Dharma Raodain Gungsangpo officially launched the festival in 1408.
Over the centuries, the festival gradually evolved into an important folk cultural event combining sports games. It became a popular period for distant friends and families to come together to picnic, dance, watch the many events, catch up on gossip and trade.
During our visit, the major activities included religious events such as the unfolding and basking of the tangka scroll of Buddha, the sorcerers dances and popular Tibetan sports such as horse racing, yak racing, a boulder lifting contest, wrestling, archery and tug of war competition.
The horse track lies to the south of the Dzong and is encircled with a clay wall.
Right outside there is a modern sports ground used mainly as a temporary open market.
It was a sunny day in Gyantse. The wind blew gently. The scent of blossoming rape flowers was in the air.
"It is a perfect day for us to have fun," said a young farmer called Puze, 20, from Jieze Town, which lies many miles away from the city.
Bringing with them food, drinks, tents, and goods for sale, local Tibetans - mainly farmers - came from near and far on foot, by bus, by tractor, or by horse to attend the festival, which is one of three similar traditional events held across the region.
The others are the Shoton Yogurt Festival and the Tibetan New Year.
We learned that others like us drove for hours from Lhasa to Gyantse a few days ago for the remote party. The horse race was to begin at 10 o'clock sharp. So I went alone for a look at the open market.
Shopping here is an interesting experience. Even if you did not want to buy anything, an aimless stroll among the roughly formed rows of vendor stalls was rewarding.
I found that the market was a mix of trade and amusement, both elements offering a strong local flavour.
Some vendors were selling traditional clothes, hats, farming equipments and small articles for daily use. Some were selling mysterious Tibetan medicines that you rarely see in places outside of Tibet. Still some were touting in loud voices their hand-made jewellery and ornaments. With sweets in hands, small kids chased one another among the booths and potential buyers, crying out cheerfully.
Bright-eyed Tibetan girls dressed in bright, colourful clothes and gorgeous head ornaments walked gracefully in groups. A light, charming smile immediately appeared the moment their eyes met with those from visitors from afar. Some senior Tibetan farmers passed through the rows of the vendor stalls, slowly and somewhat absent-mindedly, maybe hoping to spot something he or she wants to buy and take home. But such faraway thoughts never prevented their prayer wheel from rolling.
Some old Tibetan farmers did not bother to walk around but sat on the spot where they could see the horse race clearly, drinking homemade barley wine.
At about 9:50 am, people began to gather around the track. The open market became quiet and at last all selling and buying activities came to a halt. Some members of our travel group climbed up to the top of the hills overlooking the ground. Some went to join a small portion of audiences which was standing behind the iron banisters in the central part of the ground.
I chose to join the crowd standing along the race track right within the walls of the race ground. Twelve young riders and their assistants came into the ground on their steeds.
The youngest challenger was 15 years old while the oldest was 20, I was informed. Older riders are considered not suitable for the intense riding and also their bulk would be too much burden for the horses which were expected to sprint from the off. The young riders wore tight clothing made for easier movement.
Some riders were sporting, to me at least, strange flame-like hairstyles, and the manes of their mounts were fashioned in similar style and adorned with colourful silk ribbons.
Even the tail of the horses were tied in ribbons and resembled a colourful whip. All the riders were in high spirits and appeared extremely confident of themselves.
I had learned earlier that 54 young riders from 18 towns in Gyantse County had competed in the early stages of the race meeting. Days before the festival, tryout heats between up to five riders decided which lucky one would represent the towns.
Once in the history of the festival, said locals, 100 riders competed in the final race to be champion. When not racing, the nags are used for farming activities.Fierce race contest
The start of the race was only seconds from the off. As the chief referee's signal gun fired a loud "crack," 12 horses flashed forward from the starting line which was formed by cobbles. This was to act as the finishing line, too.
A great dust cloud formed as the hooves of the horses thundered along with great strides on the dry earth.
And the rapid, thumping hoofbeats made the audiences excited and nervous. The young riders blew a whistle in sharp blast while wielding the whip in their hands, urging their horses to go faster and faster to get ahead of others. The crowd let out loud cries in a local dialect every time a rider surpassed others to take the lead.
The race track is about 1,000 metres so the final, at 3,000 metres, was to be three laps.
"For these young kids, this race is definitely a test of courageous heroism, tenacity and wisdom," said Luojie, a Tibetan middle school teacher who used to be a contestant in the great horse race. On the track, a fierce battle for supremacy was taking place.
Sometimes, two or three horses came to close to each other and several women in the crowd - perhaps sisters or girlfriends of the riders - let out high pitched shrills as their nerves got the better of them.
During one heat a young rider was hurt in a collision with another horse, the contest was stopped and the rider was taken away for medical treatment.
For each stage of the race, a yellow paint mark was stamped on the buttocks of the leading race horses. The more yellow marks a horse bears, the higher award the rider would receive.
After three rounds of races, the winners and losers were determined by a group of nine judges.
The contest ended at around 13:00 pm.
But the judges had had difficulty following the final heat. In an unusual move, judges called upon photo journalists to show them images taken with digital cameras to find out and decide who came where and who won.
Before the award ceremony the costume parade began.
At least 20 song and dance groups from the towns, monasteries, nunneries, schools and local government departments marched around another larger sports ground which lies to the north of the race track.
The parade was a pageant of beautiful clothes, hairstyles and a showcase of singing and dancing skills.
But the most welcomed members of this parade were those who delivered on-horseback performances with traditional masks and who sang folk tunes and the lamas from nearby Buddhist monasteries who performed Buddhist rituals and showed some Buddhist relics to the audiences sitting around the sports ground.
The parade and performances lasted for about an hour. Finally, the performers settled in the sports ground in rows.
Then came the award-giving for the horse racing champions and the closing ceremony of the whole festival. Six contestants were to receive awards.
The top winner would receive 800 yuan (US$97) in cash from the organizer of the race.
I was told the rider would immediately hand his cash over to the school where he studies to pay for tuition fees. The winnings could cover the cost for several school years.
A rider called Badain Tashi, 16, from Kharmey Town won first prize this year. Runner-up Tsetop was from the same town.Badianzhaxi began riding only four years ago. He trained for the race during weekends, while during the week he studied at Kharmey Township Middle School.
"I did the best I could and believed I would win the race even before it started. But my parents are happier. They must be proud of me. And they do not have to pay my tuition fees for quite some time," he said.
A local official declared the end of the festival.
But it seemed people were reluctant to leave the happy atmosphere of the event and many hung around soaking up the last good-time vibes that had carried on the breeze during the last five days.
Ngawang, our Tibetan driver, whispered to me: "Do not believe the official's words. The party has not even begun yet!"
That evening, the crowd regrouped in the sports ground for a vast party of eating, drinking, singing and dancing. Sleep came very late - in fact way into the small hours - for most.What a pity that we had to leave for the hotel that was located in another part of the city and did not have a chance to share with the local people what was obviously going to be a joyful evening.
Sitting in the bumping, winding minivan as we rushed back to Lhasa, I made my mind up firmly: I will be back some day to see the Dama Festival from the beginning to the end

China Tibet Tourism-Introduction-Festival-12

Going is good to exciting at dama festival horse race

After years of looking at picture books and postcards and listening to the tales of those who had been there, I had become a big fan of Tibet's breathtaking landscapes and unique culture.So it was great anticipation that I set off for the snowy lands last month for my first visit. But I was also nervous travelling to a very tight schedule. We began in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
We wanted to make it to Gyantse, the small ancient city in Xigaze Prefecture in southwest Tibet. The historic seat hosts the famous Dama Festival, a five-day jamboree of theatre, horse and yak racing, archery, dancing and singing. Farmers, herdsmen and locals flock to the city's streets to join in the party which has a history of at least 500 years.
We spent 12 hours bumping along a winding road from Lhasa but the endurance was worth it because we spent the last two days of the colourful, exciting event socking up the carnival atmosphere.The Dama Festival is held each year usually on July 20-25. We arrived at midnight and made for our hotel to ensure an early rise the next morning.
The Dama FestivalWe were told by the tour guide that the next day we would see the final stages of the horse racing, followed by a massive costume parade, an awards-giving ceremony and the closing ceremony.
After a hasty breakfast, we went to the flat area near the Dzong, or the old fort, which is the main venue for the festival. We arrived there at about 8 o'clock, hoping to find an advantageous position with a good view for the racing.
We were somewhat surprised however, to find that thousands of race-goers had already occupied the hills near the race ground and that hundreds of tents were erected in the woods and on the grassy area around the race track. But no wonder this event was proving to be the most popular of the long carnival.
The Dama Festival literally mean "archery on horseback" in Tibetan. For many years, the festival was held over five to seven days taking place from the 10th to the 28th day of the fourth month as dictated by the Tibetan calendar, locals told us.But in 1996, it was changed to the Gregorian calendar and was held in July. The reason was July was considered the slack period for farming. The festival was originated in the area and was part of a noble and religious ritual in ancient times.
According to local records, Gyantse Prince Dharma Raodain Gungsangpo officially launched the festival in 1408.
Over the centuries, the festival gradually evolved into an important folk cultural event combining sports games. It became a popular period for distant friends and families to come together to picnic, dance, watch the many events, catch up on gossip and trade.
During our visit, the major activities included religious events such as the unfolding and basking of the tangka scroll of Buddha, the sorcerers dances and popular Tibetan sports such as horse racing, yak racing, a boulder lifting contest, wrestling, archery and tug of war competition.
The horse track lies to the south of the Dzong and is encircled with a clay wall.
Right outside there is a modern sports ground used mainly as a temporary open market.
It was a sunny day in Gyantse. The wind blew gently. The scent of blossoming rape flowers was in the air.
"It is a perfect day for us to have fun," said a young farmer called Puze, 20, from Jieze Town, which lies many miles away from the city.
Bringing with them food, drinks, tents, and goods for sale, local Tibetans - mainly farmers - came from near and far on foot, by bus, by tractor, or by horse to attend the festival, which is one of three similar traditional events held across the region.
The others are the Shoton Yogurt Festival and the Tibetan New Year.
We learned that others like us drove for hours from Lhasa to Gyantse a few days ago for the remote party. The horse race was to begin at 10 o'clock sharp. So I went alone for a look at the open market.
Shopping here is an interesting experience. Even if you did not want to buy anything, an aimless stroll among the roughly formed rows of vendor stalls was rewarding.
I found that the market was a mix of trade and amusement, both elements offering a strong local flavour.
Some vendors were selling traditional clothes, hats, farming equipments and small articles for daily use. Some were selling mysterious Tibetan medicines that you rarely see in places outside of Tibet. Still some were touting in loud voices their hand-made jewellery and ornaments. With sweets in hands, small kids chased one another among the booths and potential buyers, crying out cheerfully.
Bright-eyed Tibetan girls dressed in bright, colourful clothes and gorgeous head ornaments walked gracefully in groups. A light, charming smile immediately appeared the moment their eyes met with those from visitors from afar. Some senior Tibetan farmers passed through the rows of the vendor stalls, slowly and somewhat absent-mindedly, maybe hoping to spot something he or she wants to buy and take home. But such faraway thoughts never prevented their prayer wheel from rolling.
Some old Tibetan farmers did not bother to walk around but sat on the spot where they could see the horse race clearly, drinking homemade barley wine.
At about 9:50 am, people began to gather around the track. The open market became quiet and at last all selling and buying activities came to a halt. Some members of our travel group climbed up to the top of the hills overlooking the ground. Some went to join a small portion of audiences which was standing behind the iron banisters in the central part of the ground.
I chose to join the crowd standing along the race track right within the walls of the race ground. Twelve young riders and their assistants came into the ground on their steeds.
The youngest challenger was 15 years old while the oldest was 20, I was informed. Older riders are considered not suitable for the intense riding and also their bulk would be too much burden for the horses which were expected to sprint from the off. The young riders wore tight clothing made for easier movement.
Some riders were sporting, to me at least, strange flame-like hairstyles, and the manes of their mounts were fashioned in similar style and adorned with colourful silk ribbons.
Even the tail of the horses were tied in ribbons and resembled a colourful whip. All the riders were in high spirits and appeared extremely confident of themselves.
I had learned earlier that 54 young riders from 18 towns in Gyantse County had competed in the early stages of the race meeting. Days before the festival, tryout heats between up to five riders decided which lucky one would represent the towns.
Once in the history of the festival, said locals, 100 riders competed in the final race to be champion. When not racing, the nags are used for farming activities.Fierce race contest
The start of the race was only seconds from the off. As the chief referee's signal gun fired a loud "crack," 12 horses flashed forward from the starting line which was formed by cobbles. This was to act as the finishing line, too.
A great dust cloud formed as the hooves of the horses thundered along with great strides on the dry earth.
And the rapid, thumping hoofbeats made the audiences excited and nervous. The young riders blew a whistle in sharp blast while wielding the whip in their hands, urging their horses to go faster and faster to get ahead of others. The crowd let out loud cries in a local dialect every time a rider surpassed others to take the lead.
The race track is about 1,000 metres so the final, at 3,000 metres, was to be three laps.
"For these young kids, this race is definitely a test of courageous heroism, tenacity and wisdom," said Luojie, a Tibetan middle school teacher who used to be a contestant in the great horse race. On the track, a fierce battle for supremacy was taking place.
Sometimes, two or three horses came to close to each other and several women in the crowd - perhaps sisters or girlfriends of the riders - let out high pitched shrills as their nerves got the better of them.
During one heat a young rider was hurt in a collision with another horse, the contest was stopped and the rider was taken away for medical treatment.
For each stage of the race, a yellow paint mark was stamped on the buttocks of the leading race horses. The more yellow marks a horse bears, the higher award the rider would receive.
After three rounds of races, the winners and losers were determined by a group of nine judges.
The contest ended at around 13:00 pm.
But the judges had had difficulty following the final heat. In an unusual move, judges called upon photo journalists to show them images taken with digital cameras to find out and decide who came where and who won.
Before the award ceremony the costume parade began.
At least 20 song and dance groups from the towns, monasteries, nunneries, schools and local government departments marched around another larger sports ground which lies to the north of the race track.
The parade was a pageant of beautiful clothes, hairstyles and a showcase of singing and dancing skills.
But the most welcomed members of this parade were those who delivered on-horseback performances with traditional masks and who sang folk tunes and the lamas from nearby Buddhist monasteries who performed Buddhist rituals and showed some Buddhist relics to the audiences sitting around the sports ground.
The parade and performances lasted for about an hour. Finally, the performers settled in the sports ground in rows.
Then came the award-giving for the horse racing champions and the closing ceremony of the whole festival. Six contestants were to receive awards.
The top winner would receive 800 yuan (US$97) in cash from the organizer of the race.
I was told the rider would immediately hand his cash over to the school where he studies to pay for tuition fees. The winnings could cover the cost for several school years.
A rider called Badain Tashi, 16, from Kharmey Town won first prize this year. Runner-up Tsetop was from the same town.Badianzhaxi began riding only four years ago. He trained for the race during weekends, while during the week he studied at Kharmey Township Middle School.
"I did the best I could and believed I would win the race even before it started. But my parents are happier. They must be proud of me. And they do not have to pay my tuition fees for quite some time," he said.
A local official declared the end of the festival.
But it seemed people were reluctant to leave the happy atmosphere of the event and many hung around soaking up the last good-time vibes that had carried on the breeze during the last five days.
Ngawang, our Tibetan driver, whispered to me: "Do not believe the official's words. The party has not even begun yet!"
That evening, the crowd regrouped in the sports ground for a vast party of eating, drinking, singing and dancing. Sleep came very late - in fact way into the small hours - for most.What a pity that we had to leave for the hotel that was located in another part of the city and did not have a chance to share with the local people what was obviously going to be a joyful evening.
Sitting in the bumping, winding minivan as we rushed back to Lhasa, I made my mind up firmly: I will be back some day to see the Dama Festival from the beginning to the end

China Tibet Tourism-Introduction-Festival-11

Festivals in Chamdo

Zhongque Festival Time: July 24 Place: ChamdoContent: religious ceremony, fashion show, and Tibetan opera performance
Khampa Art Festival Time: October 1Place: Chamdo Content: a gathering of literary and artistic performance and trade talks.