It’s Losar in Ladakh!
On behalf of the whole Siddhartha School
family, we wish you blessings for the New Year.
Watch the student greeting below.
Fun Fact:
What is Losar anyway, and what’s with all the lights?
“Losar” means “New Year” and begins on December 19 this year (two months before the Tibetan Losar). The early timing for the Ladaki Losar is attributed to a 17th-century king, Jamyang Namgyal, who moved up the calendar when advised that his wartime plans would be inauspicious if implemented before the New Year. Losar is among the most important Buddhist holidays in Ladakh. It is a time of purging old obstacles and setting wishes for prosperity in the coming year. Houses are cleaned, streets are washed down, and surrounding grasses are mowed to clear bad omens. The use of light is especially important. Lamps, candles, and decorative illuminations are believed to ward off evil spirits and protect people as they pass from the old year into the new. Heaping offerings are made at gompas and street-side shrines.
