Tibetan Festivals

thumb|right|300px|Dancing at Sho Dun Festival, Norbulingka, 1993
In Tibet, the Tibetan calendar lags approximately four to six weeks behind the solar calendar. For example, the Tibetan First Month usually falls in February, the Fifth Month June or early July and the Eight Month in September.
Month 	Date 	Festival 	Notes
1st Month 	1st-7th 	New Year Festival Losar 	A week long drama and carnivals, horse races and archery
1st Month 	4th-25th 	Monlam Prayer Festival 	The Great Prayer Festival, a tradition begun by Tsong Khapa. Many pilgrims gather at Jokhang in Lhasa
1st Month 	15th 	Lantern Festival 	Commemorates Buddha's miracle at Sravasti. Fires are lit on roofs, and lamps in windows
2nd Month 	28th-29th	- 	Festival to drive out evil spirits and expel the scapegoat. Lamas encircle Lhasa with trumpets
4th Month 	7th 	Pilgrim Festival 	Important month for pilgrims. -the birth of Buddha Sakyamuni
4th Month 	15th 	Saka dawa 	Celebrates the birth and Enlightenment of Sakyamuni and his entry to Nirvana. An outdoor opera is held and captured animals released. Worshippers flock to the Jokhang in Lhasa to pray.
5th Month 	14th-16th	Hanging of the Thangka 	A giant thangka is hung at Tashilhunpo in Shigatse
5th Month 	15th 	Incense Festival 	On this day ghosts are said to prowl. Tibetans dress up and party to drive away the spirits.
5th Month 	15th-24th	Sho Dun Festival 	Literally, the "Yoghurt Festival." Worship of the Buddha. Picnics and operas are held in parks particularly under the trees at Norbulingka. There are often bonfires at night.
6th Month 	4th 	Buddha's sermon 	A feast is held to commemorate Buddha's first sermon. Pilgrims climb holy mountains such as Chokbori
7th month 	beginning	Washing Festival 	Lasts about a week. People go to the river to wash themselves and their clothes. Said to cure any sickness.
7th Month 	end 	Ongkar Festival 	Literally 'Looking around the fields'. Ensures a good harvest. Horse-racing, archery contests and opera
7th/8th Month	All 	Golden Star Festival 	The Golden Star festival is held to wash away passion, greed and jealousy and to abandon ego. Ritual bathing in rivers takes place and picnics are held
8th Month 	1st-10th 	Dajyur Festival 	The Dayjur is held in Gyantse and Damxung -horse racing and light hearted sports competitions and games takes places
8th Month 	1st-7th 	Harvest Festival 	The festival is held with prayers, dancingsinging and drinking
9th Month 	22nd 	- 	Buddha's descent from heaven after preaching to his mother is commemorated. All monasteries are opened and pilgrims gather
10th Month 	25th 	Tsong Khapa memorial 	Memorial festival of Tsong Khapa's death - fires are lit on the roofs of the monasteries and lamps are lit
12th Month 	1st-7th 	New Year Festival 	New Year Festival in Shigatse
12th Month 	5th-6th 	Meeting of the Eight Guardians	The Meeting of the Eight Guardians and demons where Tibetans stay indoors to avoid evil outside
12th Month 	29th 	Banishing Evil Spirits 	A "Devil Dance" is held to drive out all evil from the Old Year to prepare for New Year.
==Losar==
The Tibetan calendar is a lunisolar calendar. Losar is celebrated on the first three days of the first lunar month.
Gregorian year	Tibetan year	Losar* 	element and animal
2000 	2126 	February 5 - February 7 	male iron dragon
2001 	2127 	January 24 - January 26 	female iron snake (or metal serpent)
2002 	2128 	February 12 - February 14	male water horse
2003 	2129 	February 1 - February 3 	female water sheep (or goat)
2004 	2130 	January 22 - January 24 	male wood monkey
2005 	2131 	February 9 - February 11*	female wood bird (or rooster)
2006 	2132 	January 30 - February 1 	male fire dog
2007 	2133 	February 18 - February 20	female fire pig
2008 	2134 	February 7 - February 9 	male earth rat (some Gelukpa cite Tibetan Year 2135 [five], starting 2008-02-07 at 03:44 GMT, also an annular solar eclipse)
2009 	2135 	January 25 - January 27 	female earth ox
Category:Tibetan culture
Category:Buddhist festivals
Category:Tibetan Buddhist art and culture