Dedicated to the joyous occasion of Losar

Losar Tashi Delek

Happy Dangpai Losar!

Last year I happened to be in Bhutan witnessing the celebration of the new year of the Female Rabbit and here you can read about my experience. At that time, I didn't realize that it was only one of the several new year celebrations in Bhutan making this country a bit unique again.

Coinciding with this year's Dangpai Losar, this Saturday I will be in Budapest talking about my last year's volunteer project in Bhutan at the event of the Hungarian Bhutan Friendship Society at The Dharma Gate Buddhist University. With our Bhutanese friends we will also cook fantastic ema datsi and other delicacies. Not to mention the promotion of Kunzang Choden's books, including the excellent 'Chill and Cheese, Food and Society in Bhutan' in which the writer shares her fascinating childhood experience celebrating Losar with her family and friends in Bumthang.

I wish you a peaceful and prosperous year of the water male dragon.

Losar Tashi Delek ! Happy New Bhutanese Year !

 

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.