Sunday, February 6, 2011

Losar Tashi Delek ! Happy New Bhutanese Year !

 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJoiMuoGtsonfMaqGkSv-vKe1WA-lzb4TgWXGRIh8MAe28Yt8aPS1651Qe9_zB_dDxmakL2R8ytjlEMTC7cMt2jJKpBIpbjeNAi4kFpN4tHjP7vOMRJ0JW1n8C2nZjKnOKKDbu_Ypblg/s1600/Female-Iron-Rabbit-colour-72.jpg

The Female Iron Rabbit Year has just begun here ! Bhutanese call the new year celebration Losar and say 'Losar Tashi Delek' which more or less means Happy New Year. It is celebrated at home with the family rather than publicly like in other countries - at least in Thimphu. The only thing I could notice in the streets, apart from the closed shops, were men (why not women ?!) playing traditional archery and local game of dart (khuru).

I also had the honor to visit my local colleague's home in the morning of 3rd February. I joined them and their friends in eating and drinking simple traditional food and drinks. They also invited me to stay for lunch, but an unfortunate shortage of water in the building spoiled our plan. Never mind, the Iron Rabbit shall bring luck, peace and happiness to your home, too.

On the same day I went to the impressive National Memorial Chorten (stupa) in the city where people traditionally circumambulate the building in clockwise direction. I joined the very diverse group of people with great interest and what seemed to be a strange thing to do at the first place just turned out to be a great mind-freeing exercise during my one hour walking around and around and around and around and around ... 

Deserted Thimphu in the morning of 3rd Feb

Losar breakfast at my colleague's home

Women praying at the National Memorial Chorten built in 1974

Urban pigeons get multiplied as the city grows

The target is 150 metres away !!! Watch your step. You can also become target if you get too close.

1 comment:

  1. Dear Zoltan

    Thank you most kindly.

    keep up the good work of your blog

    warmly

    Tashi

    ReplyDelete