Losar ལོ་གསར Morning Rituals

Losar, Tibetan custom, Tibetan family

Standing behind my sister-in-law, my brother praises our nieces how beautiful they are in their traditional Tibetan clothes and gifts some money for their pockets

 

UPDATED: Losar, the Tibetan New Year, has finally arrived after months of preparation. And it is the New Year’s morning; time to enjoy juicy yak-meat dumplings and milk tea, and pay respect to others, all after spiritual offerings, of course.

When I was a girl, my family would send us kids to visit elders and relatives in the village early in the morning of the new day. The adults would visit their parents if they weren’t living under the same roof. My father, for example, always visited his mother at my uncle’s house. With gifts in hand, making a special trip to the families who lost a loved one that year was also reserved for the grown-ups. All occurred before dawn while the sky still resisted daylight.

I remember Grandma or Mother would put together a gift package with a big piece or two of cooked meat, deep-fried goodies, fruits, and steamed dumplings stacked seven-high and wrapped up tight atop a loaf of Rebgong bread.  And I will never forget how I was dressed to the nines in my nicest traditional robe, coral jewelry, hair braided in Tibetan style with ornaments carefully placed on my back. It was quite a ceremony to deliver this parcel to the respected elders (and show off my splendid clothes).

This year my adorable nieces, along with my sister and brother-in-law, did the same. Bedecked in coral necklaces, their formal robes belted with intricate ornaments of spiral sliver, framing red corals in a swirly row, they visited my younger brother’s home. Splendid. They brought a fresh spark of joy to our new day.

Tibetan customs, Tibetan Losar

Bonfire in front of my bother’s house at midnight to celebrate the New Year.

 

Gift-giving, Losar, Tibetan gild, Losar celebration

My sister’s family arriving with Losar gifts – my beautiful niece, who became a teenager not long ago, is the focal point in the picture – entering my brother’s home.

 

Tibetan clothes, Tibetan girls, Traditional Tibetan robes

My adorable nieces dressed to the nines, cannot be more Tibetan than that.

 

Tibetan food, Tibetan meal, Tibetan people, Losar

Cozying up around the living room table and chatting away, my nephew biting into a yak-meat dumpling.

 

Tibetan boy, Tibetan child, Tibetan Losar celebration

And my jolly nephew, also in his Tibetan-style clothes, noticed my camera at the moment I tried.

 

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7 Responses to Losar ལོ་གསར Morning Rituals

  1. Sherrie R. Lowly March 6, 2015 at 2:21 AM #

    I love the image of your nephew. Beautiful!

    • Jolma March 6, 2015 at 9:19 AM #

      Thank you, Sherrie. Slightly out of focus but with big smile, it’s a winner. 🙂

  2. tenzin March 12, 2015 at 10:27 PM #

    Bhoe ki Lossar lakpo dhuk. Kherang sotae chen po shidra rey.

    • Jolma March 20, 2015 at 10:41 PM #

      Thank you for visiting, Tenzin. It’s ways nice to see a familiar name!

  3. Nancy April 4, 2015 at 3:11 PM #

    As usual, your entry is wonderful, and your photography breathtaking.

  4. Anette Hansen February 17, 2016 at 10:39 PM #

    Beautiful pictures of a beautiful family. Thanks for sharing.

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  1. Beyond Her Kitchen: Tibetan Culture through Food & Stories - February 5, 2019

    […] Losar Morning RitualsWhat do Tibetans do on Losar morning? From dressing up in vibrant and colorful robes to paying respect to elders with gifts in hand… learn how Tibetans celebrate Losar […]

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