Happy LOSAR!!

The whole World has seen and welcomed the NEW YEAR 2011, already. Champagne toasts have been made, wishes have been exchanged, resolutions have been set, kisses have been planted, so on and on. Those are typical visible scenes everywhere as people eagerly wait for the final ‘count down’.

'Sikkam'-Dried Pork!
But not quite yet done for Bhutanese people! This is because only today marks the official new year, according to the Bhutanese Buddhist Calendar. It is known as LOSAR, or to be specific ‘Chu Nyi Pai Losar’. The day is declared a national holiday, and it is a festive day. Family members gather, wish for the successful years, and throw a grand party. While elderly people settle over some dosage of locally brewed alcohol called 'Ara' and 'Banchang', after the lunch, men normally engage in playing some games like Archery, Khuru (darts), Dego, etc, as their female counterparts engage in dances and merry-making.

The day is particularly significant in a sense that everybody gets to meet and spend a quality time together. As the night falls, the young boys and girls go around the villages, singing and dancing. After doing a few rounds of dances, they would proceed to other houses, and eventually call of-which usually doesn’t happen until early in the morning. The day is normally followed by series of games played between villages. The festive mood sustains for about a week.

But I have been deprived of such merry-making festive moments for quite sometime now, as I am away from home. This is the fourth year since I am away, which means I have missed four such events. I do really miss such occasions, and looking forward to enjoying next years’ LOSAR. However, this time I thought of doing a little bit of a Bhutanese-thing. Last week I went to an Asian grocery, and bought frozen pork.  I cut them into thin layers, and hung on the window pants to let them dry. With that I got what we called as  ‘sikkam’. I recollected what my mom and dad used to do while I was with them back at home. They would start preparing dishes a night before the actual day. So here too, I cooked the Sikkam last night, and kept readied for today. After waking up quite late, (which is very untraditional for such occasions?), I celebrated LOSAR in my own ways!  Happy Losar to everyone!
Ready to Eat; my Losar!

Comments

  1. TitusLMarch 6, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    Great Post,
    Happy Losar with Milarepa :D
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-U1wUNaX4Q
    BB elf ~

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pema WangdiMarch 11, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    Thanks for reading and commenting!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2020 - The Hope!

Here it is - the much awaited New Year 2020! I said 'much awaited' because the Year 2019 had been the toughest year for me and my family with serial of events happening, which I hope shouldn't happen to anyone. The 2019 New Year Eve shall remain the darkest day yet. It was on this day last year that we had to accept the true reality of life - the impermanence. Waking up to a phone call, I couldn't come to terms with what had happened. I wished I was simply going through a bad dream. An unplanned journey in a packed taxi, yet so lonely and dry. Never expected the New Year to unfurl in that manner even in my wildest thoughts. Every time I visit Thimphu, I purposely avoid the sight of Lungtenzampa MSS, in particular the basketball court. Our final approach to that ground was heartbreaking and the sight of a tent 'housing' him was unbearable. It still kills me to the core to recollect the scene of my beloved brother lying lifeless! The pain that I endured by the...
Read more

First ever trophy in my life!

Image
"For the valuable contribution you have made! " It is not the size of the trophy but the moment of it being awarded that matters I t took me these many years-16 years- to get a trophy! May be I have been around too many years that now they felt the need to give me one, probably? (lol) No, seriously I have not been recognized with any sort of trophies for contributing my hours to social activities until today. This marks the beginning, and hope it doesn't stop here!  I did, however, have received a dozen or so of certificates for academic excellence since the second grade till I graduated from high school (12th standard). Sorry it sounds kind of showy; I can't help it (lol). But before you jump into a false conclusion that I am a "study freak", let me tell you I have engaged in co-curicular activities during my schooling days as much as I have engaged in studies. The only problem(?) though was I haven't won any awards or recognitions. May be they ...
Read more

Happy New Year 2014!

Like rest of the world, the 'New Year' fever has caught the border town of Phuntsholing and at 11: 50 PM the musics are only roaring louder from every part of the town. Checking out from the Gol-Building, I can see people of all age levels rushing to the party halls and some simply roaming around the town, mostly in pair- couple I mean. Bhutanese, Nepali, Hindi and English pop and rock songs fill the night in roaring fashion. Unlike them who took this New Year Celebration to the street, I chose to remain inside, simply because I am too tired to go out and mark the end of the year 2013 partying and dancing. But being in the Gol-Building in the heart of the town isn't really away from partying and merry making. I feel like I am already in the clubs and party hall with all those deafening sounds buzzing around. The only difference is I am alone in the room, in front of the TV-with the Chelsea-Liverpool epic premiere league match rebroadcast, and side by side penning this tho...
Read more