Losar is one of the important festivals that Buddhism follower celebrated each year with different events and with different names too in which Tamu Losar is one of them. Tamu Losar is also known as Tamu Lochar in which lo- indicates year likewise char/sar- refers to new so, it is observed as the new year by gurung community in Nepal. Tomu Losar is observed annually in Nepali month poush 15 i.e December- January and the festivals is celebrated among families and friends. It is said that before the establishment of calendar Buddhists people use to indicates year by animals sign so altogether 12 animals are used as the year signs and they are cat, dog, cow, sheep, horse, monkey, tiger, deer, mouse, bird, snake, garuda(eagle).
In Nepal, Mongolians are mostly the Buddhist follower and various types of Losar are celebrated by Mongolians. There are various types of losar that in celebrated in Nepal they are as follows:
1. Sonam losar – celebrated by Tamang
2. Gyalpo losar – celebrated by Sherpa
3. Tamu losar – celebrated by Gurung
Besides these above losar there is another losar named as Tol losar which is known as the oldest losar that is being celebrated in mostly in Himalayan region of Nepal such as Mugu, Humla, Mustang, Dolpa etc. Tol losar is celebrated before Tamu losar by the people of Himalayan region. Sherpa, lama are the people who observed Tol lossar. Tol losar is less talked losar among other three as it is observed by people living in mountain areas rather than any particular ethnic group or community even though it is celebrated as the same perspectives and rituals.
We knew different types of Losar and also the communities who celebrate them. Among them let's talk about Tamu Losar for now. Tamu Losar is similar as other losar the only difference is the ethnic group of people who celebrated are gurung other than that rituals, celebration are all same. As losar is observed by Buddhist follower they perform ritual for Gautam Buddha by visiting different monasteries, Buddha’s shrines, Stupas and so on. During Tamu losar people wear their cultural gurung dress, friends and families gather together and perform dance, eat sel-roti (Nepali dish similar to donuts made up of rice flour), drink chyang(homemade alcohol). In kathmandu, tudikhel is the place where all losar are also celebrated in glorious way showing the importance of culture as well as happiness. Tamu losar is observed in 15 poush which indicates New Year as for gurung and also declaring end of winter and start of spring season.
Hence, tamu losar is the festivals that is celebrated by gurung communities or it can be said as Buddhist followers as New Year. They celebrate it with their friends and families, wear cultural dress, present their ethnic dance. Celebrating losar not only shows their value for the culture but it has also helped to preserved festival till now. Nepal is known to the world as the country that is rich in cultural diversity so each festivals has their own benefit and has carried various cultural aspect that are worth to be preserved, valued and respected.
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