Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, Dec 8: Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) president, Tsewang Thinles inaugurated the Buddhist community’s week-long Losar festival, here this morning.
The celebrations began with unfurling of the sacred Buddhist prayer flag “Tarchen” amidst chanting of “Kay Kay So So Largyalo” in front of huge gathering at Chowkhang Vihara (Leh) followed by gatherings visiting the main temple hall Chokhang to seek blessing from Buddha Amitabha.
Hill Council Chairman Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Deputy Chairman Gyal P Wangyal, LBA vice president PT Kunzang and Rinchen Namgyal, former CEC Rigzin Spalbar, Tibetan Representative CRO Chetan Angchok, nominated Councillor venerable Sonam Chospel, MC president Dr Ishey Namgyal, former MLC Nurbo Gyaltsan and a large number of people were also present to celebrate the occasion.
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Losar Festival is celebrated in the 11th month of Tibetan calendar during which symbolic meals and offerings are made and houses are decorated with good luck signs such as sun, moon, sheep, goats, ibex and antelope that are kept in the kitchen shelve for good omen. Prayer flags are hoisted in important religious places to welcome the Buddhist New Year (Losar). Following the custom, people visited their friends and known to greet “Losar La Tashis Deleks, Losar La Jalskit” praying for longevity and prosperity.
Enthusiastic people in large number in their best traditional costumes joined to celebrate the annual festival with great pomp and show. The festival is an important festival in winter months in Ladakh as several rituals and traditional events takes place and it has now turned into one of major events for winter tourists in Ladakh.
While addressing the gathering, the LBA president said, “As we know lots of discussions are going on about granting Divisional Status to Ladakh region but Divisional Status is not LBA’s priority and it cannot compensate with UT demand and LBA would soon debate over its pros and con by involving all political, religious leaders and expert on one common platform”.
On the occasion, students of various schools and artists from different regions presented scintillating culture programme.
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