Tibetans mark double New Year with special prayers

With the Tibetan New Year coinciding with the Spring Festival this year, it is a double celebration for the Tibetan community this.

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year, is one of the most celebrated events across the globe. Though Chinese horoscopes say that the Year of the Dog, which starts today, brings good luck, people celebrating the oncoming Chinese New Year are hopeful that it will bring prosperity and good luck.

The Tibetans living in India on Thursday offered special prayers to dispel evils of the previous year and to mark the beginning of the three-day festival Losar - the Tibetan New Year - starting from today.

Shimla saw the Tibetan community welcoming the New Year with traditional fervour at Dorje Drak monastery.

"The year is ending, so we are burning all the negative energy and heading towards a prosperous New Year. We perform pooja and chant the name of Buddha. The bird's year is concluding and we are entering a new year," said a local.

Tibetans burn torch made of straw (Tsampa) with a belief that it would help get rid of evil spirits and bring luck in the upcoming year.

They also perform dance and play the traditional musical instrument on the day, before burning the straw.

"On the first day and on the New Year's Eve, we offer special prayers. We will chant a lot of names of Buddhas. The upcoming year is of Dog, which has the characteristic of loyalty," said a monk.