Galdan Namchot Festival Ladakh

Venue : All over Ladakh


Start Date 2022 : 29 December 2022


Start Date 2022 : 18 December 2022


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Galdan Namchot is a festival celebrated in Tibet, Mongolia and many regions of Himalaya and particularly in Ladakh, India. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the birthday and the Buddhahood of Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419 AD), a famous Scholar/teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Galdan Namchot also marks the beginning of the new year celebrations in Ladakh.

History

Je Tsongkhapa was born in the city of Tsongkha in Amdo, Tibet (present-day Haidong and Xining, Qinghai) in 1357. He was a famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. On the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, Galdan Namchot is celebrated to commemorate birthday and Buddhahood of Je Tsongkhapa. Galdan Namchot also marks the beginning of the new year (which falls after five days of the Galdan Namchot festival and continues till the Dosmoche festival in February)

Ladkahi's follow the Tibetan lunar calendar. Historically Losar, thereby Galdan Namchot were celebrated in the twelfth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. Owing to a war in Skardu during reign of Raja Jamyang Namgyal (1595-1616 AD), Ladakh started celebrating Losar two months before in the tenth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar.

Celebrations

As a part of the Galdan Namchot festival, monasteries, public and residential buildings are lit up. Butter lamps are also lit up which symbolizes the annihilation of darkness. Traditional dishes such as Thukpa, Momo and Butter tea is prepared and served in households. Khatak, a traditional ceremonial scarf is gifted by Ladakhi people.

Schedule

Since Ladakh follows the Tibetan lunar calendar and Galdan Namchot festival comes on the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month Tibetan calendar, every year the festival falls on different dates of the Gregorian calendar

Name of the festival 2022 2022
Galdan Namchot 29 December 18 December

Festivals in Ladakh

Galdan Namchot

Losar

Spituk Gustor

Dosmoche

Yargon Tungshak

Stok Guru Tsechu

Matho Nagrang

Saka Dawa

Sindhu Darshan

Hemis

Yuru Kabgyat

Stongday Gustor

Karsha Gustor

Thiksey Gustor

Tak-Tok Festival