Nepal is home to different ethnic groups, and each ethnic groups have their own language, culture, traditions, and festivals. Gyalpo Lhosar is one of the festivals that will be celebrated by Sherpa, Hyolmo, Tamang, and Tibetan ethnic groups. This traditional festival is celebratedin Nepal, Tibet, and all over the world, where the Sherpa, Tamang, and Hyolmoli people live. The Tamang people celebrate Sonam Lhosar as well, and the Gurung community will celebrate Tamu Lhosar.
Various types of traditional rituals will be performed in the monasteries, representing the fight between God and Demons. Different kinds of mantras will be chanted and give blessings to the observers in the monastery. And young people will get the blessing from the old people by putting Tika and Khatas on this occasion.
This is a two-week-long celebration, but the most important one is the first three days. On the first day, everyone drinks the local beverage called Chhang, and in the celebration called Changkol. The second day is Gyalpo Lhosar, which means the new year, and this is the most essential day. Lho means year, and Sar means new, so Lhosar means a new year. And on the third day, everyone gets together and celebrates the festival.
Especially for the new year, people will clean and decorate their houses. They paint the house, hang the prayer flags, and do pujas in the homes. To wish for a better year ahead for all family members and the whole world. Not only do they do Puja, but they also celebrate Lhosar by eating delicious cuisines. Cuisines like Khapse, MoMo, and a special soup.
Khapse is a deep-fried item, and the special soup Gutung that will be prepared with nine different types of beans. MoMo is a kind of dumpling, and for the Gyalpo Lhosar, as the fun factor, people will fill the dumplings with salt, wood, coal, and strong tea. These people will celebrate this festival by singing and dancing to traditional songs and eating delicious food.
2026 Gyalbo Lhosar Date is 18 February, Wednesday.
[…] new year of the Gurung community same as Sonam Lhosar is the new year of the Tamang Community. And Gyalpo Lhosar is the new year of the Sherpa and Hyolmo people, and also some Tamang people. In the Tamang […]