The Lossar Festival is an important Tibetan Festival that celebrates the Tibetan New Year. It is the beginning of the Laddakhi or Tibetan New Year that is celebrated in Sikkim with a great fervor.
The Lossar Festival is an event where ancient rituals, the eternal fights between the good and the evil, the holy chants and fire torches are the characteristic features of this festival. The dance of Ibex deer and the dramatic battles add to the festive mood. Everywhere you can enjoy the merry making and festive fervor of the mountain folk during Lossar (Feb)
Legends say that the King of Sikkim Singme Namgyar brought the New Year celebrations ahead by a month. So the Sonam Lossar begins a month before the Buddhist New Year celebrations. It is an important festival for the Buddhists.
During the Lossar Festival Sikkim, the people of Sikkim buy new clothes and paint their houses. It's the time for some good food, intoxicants and fun and revelry. A special bread called Tab-Zan is prepared during this time. The people celebrate the day with song and dance and colorful processions on the roads.
In Sikkim during the Lossar(Feb) Festival, male and female goats are sacrificed after washing them and making them drink the Chang, the local intoxicant.
The first few days of Lossar Festival of Sikkim is a family affair while later on the fervor hits the spirit with all the merriment. Drop into Sikkim during the Lossar Festival, the New Year celebrations to get the flavor of this unique mountain festival.