Leh, Dec 20: On Saturday, Kavinder Gupta, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, shared his heartfelt wishes with the community as they celebrated Losar, a pivotal festival marking the onset of the Tibetan New Year.

The L-G expressed his aspirations for peace and unity among all during this significant occasion.

In a message posted on X, he remarked: "On this auspicious day of Losar, a traditional New Year celebrated with joy and reverence throughout Ladakh, I extend my warmest greetings and best wishes to the people of Ladakh and all those partaking in this festival. May Losar bring peace, prosperity, and harmony to everyone."

Losar is a lively celebration of the Tibetan New Year in Ladakh, recognized as a major Buddhist festival. It features prayers, traditional music, masked dances known as cham, feasting, and rituals that signify the welcoming of good fortune and the dispelling of malevolent spirits.

This festival typically occurs in December or January, illuminating the region with lights, cultural displays, and profound spiritual activities in both monasteries and homes.

Celebrations include cleaning homes, crafting dough models of the sun and moon, preparing special dishes, and conducting evening torchlight parades called 'Metho'.

Losar provides a unique glimpse into the rich Buddhist heritage of Ladakh, merging ancient customs with festive celebrations and community gatherings.

Historically, Losar predates Buddhism's introduction to Tibet, originating from a winter incense-burning ritual of the Bon religion. The Tibetan New Year is determined by adding the current year to 127 BCE, the year marking the establishment of the Yarlung dynasty.

During the reign of the ninth Tibetan monarch, Pude Gungyal (317–398), this tradition is thought to have integrated with a harvest festival, ultimately evolving into the annual Losar celebration.

Losar festivities span 15 days, with the primary celebrations occurring in the first three days. The first day features the preparation of a traditional drink called changkol, made from chhaang, a Tibetan-Nepali beer equivalent.

The second day is recognized as the King's Losar, or gyalpo losar, and is traditionally preceded by a five-day Vajrakilaya practice.

Due to the Uyghurs adopting the Chinese calendar, and the Mongols and Tibetans following the Uyghur calendar, Losar often aligns with or is close to the Chinese New Year and the Mongolian New Year.

Nonetheless, the customs associated with Losar are unique to Tibet and have roots that predate both Indian and Chinese cultural influences.