Kathmandu, February 27

The Sherpa community across the country today celebrated Gyalpo Losar with various programmes.

Giving his best wishes on the occasion, Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal said there must be unity amid diversity among the nation’s citizens. Speaking at a programme organised to mark the festival in Kathmandu today, the prime minister said Nepali people have always lived in harmony and tolerance despite the vast range of castes, cultures, festivals, rituals and social communities.

“The general public should be more aware and informed so as to contribute to helping the government form a systematic policy and implementing it,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of nationality and togetherness, he said the festival not only represented the culture of the Sherpa community, but was also the flag bearer of national history, culture and tradition.

Gyalpo Losar is a celebration of the Tibetan New Year and this is the Year of the Bird. The Tibetan calendar is made up of twelve lunar months and Losar begins on the first day of the first month. Losar celebrations begin on the 29th day of the 12th month of the calendar.

The festival is celebrated mostly by Sherpa, Tamang, Bhutia and Yolmo communities in the country, while different communities and different places have their own celebrations.

Gyalpo Losar is celebrated for 15 days, with the main celebrations on the first three days. On the first day, a beverage called changkol is made from chhaang (a Tibetan beer). The second day is known as King’s Losar (Gyalpo Losar) while on the third day people get together and have feasts with traditional music and dancing.