Sonam Lhosar being observed today, a public holiday

KATHMANDU: Sonam Lhosar-2859 is being celebrated across the country today.

‘Lho’ means year and ‘Sar’ means new or fresh if translated, and the word ‘Sonam’ refers to the Tamang people in Nepal, thus the festival ‘Sonam Lhosar’ is the New Year event, according to the calendar followed by Tamang people which falls on Magh Shukla Paksha every year, according to the Lunar calendar.

On the occasion of the festival, Nepal Tamang Ghedung organized a grand Tamang cultural festival at Tundikhel in Kathmandu this afternoon. The festival will be inaugurated at 1 p.m. by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, alias Prachanda.

Along with the Tamang who live in various parts of the country, Yolmo, Thakali, Jirel, Nesyangwa, Bhote, Dura, Lepcha, and others have celebrated this festival in their own unique way.

The day is celebrated with fanfare by extending greetings to one another and feasting on traditional cuisines.

The Tamang community believes that Lord Buddha was born on the first day of the new moon, in the month of Magha. Therefore the first day of the festival is believed to be the most significant one. On this day, the main celebrations and dances take place.

Sonam Lochar is marked by offering prayers at monasteries. People also visit their relatives to seek blessings from the elders of the family. People wear colourful traditional outfits to mark the importance of the day in their lives.

The festival also sees Tamangs display their cultural heritage by engaging in traditional music and dance performances.

Tamang Selo, a special group dance of the community, is performed with great enthusiasm. Many of the dances are performed to the beat of the damphu, a traditional drum.

This festival is especially celebrated in various districts of Bagmati State where the Tamang caste predominates. During this year’s festival, the government has declared a public holiday.

Sonam Lhosar is classified as a rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog, and pig.

All 12 years of Lhosar are counted based on the names of animals and birds. This festival is especially celebrated in the Bagmati State’s various districts where the Tamang caste predominates.

The government has declared a public holiday across the country in honor of the festival, which will be held on Sunday (today) this year.