Losar
Feb–Mar, Tibetan new year (lunar calendar)
Losar opens the Tibetan lunar year and usually falls in February or early March. Kalimpong has deep Tibetan roots: for decades before 1962, traders from Lhasa and the Chumbi Valley settled here to run the wool business that came down over Jelep La, and more Tibetan families arrived as refugees after 1959. Their descendants still run shops, restaurants and schools in town, and Losar is one of the most important days in their year.
In the days before, households clean thoroughly and kitchens fry khapse, twisted biscuits made for the season. On the day itself, families visit the monasteries, put up new prayer flags and exchange visits with relatives, serving butter tea and chhang. Zang Dhok Palri Phodang on Durpin Hill, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1976, and the town's other gompas hold prayers, and monks renew the offerings on the altars. Monasteries also perform rituals to clear away the old year's obstacles in the days just before the new year.
For visitors, Losar is more a family festival than a show. Go to Durpin in the morning, keep to the edge of the halls, and ask before photographing anyone at prayer. Some Tibetan-run shops and restaurants close for a day or two. February is still cold, about 8–17 °C in town and near freezing at Lava, but skies are often clear. Hotel rates stay low, as Losar falls well outside the main holiday seasons from the plains.
How to do it well
- Losar moves each year with the lunar calendar; check the date for your year before you book.
- Try khapse and a bowl of thukpa in a Tibetan kitchen near the main market; ask when they are cooking for the season.
- Expect some Tibetan-run shops and eateries to close for the first two or three days of the new year.
Questions people ask
Good to know
When is Losar celebrated in Kalimpong
Losar falls on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which lands in February or early March. The date changes every year, so check a current calendar or ask your hotel. Celebrations run over several days, with the first two or three the most important for families and monasteries.
Which monastery in Kalimpong is best to visit during Losar
Zang Dhok Palri Phodang on Durpin Hill is the easiest to reach and one of the largest, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1976. Go in the morning, when prayers are under way. The smaller gompas in and around town also hold prayers. Dress modestly, remove shoes where asked and walk clockwise around prayer wheels and stupas.
Why are there so many Tibetans in Kalimpong
Kalimpong was the main Indian market for the Tibetan wool trade, which came down over Jelep La until the pass closed after the 1962 war. Tibetan trading families settled in the town for business, and more Tibetans arrived as refugees after 1959. Many of their descendants still live and work in Kalimpong today.
Is Losar the same as Sonam Losar or Losoong
No. Losar is the Tibetan new year in February or March. Sonam Losar is the farmers' new year of the Tamang and some Sherpa and Yolmo communities, usually in January or February. Losoong is the Sikkimese Bhutia harvest new year in December. All three involve prayers, food and family visits, but on different dates.