The Sherpa community is celebrating Gyalpo Lhosar today, a public holiday across the country

Kathmandu. The Sherpa community is celebrating the Gyalpo Lhosar festival with various programs today. Lho means year and Char means new. The Sherpa community celebrates it as New Year. On the occasion of the festival, the Sherpa community has a tradition of cleaning their village houses, roads and water sources in the village, eating Guthuk and Khapse, a dish mixed with nine types of grains, and welcoming the New Year by exchanging good wishes with each other. This festival is considered as an opportunity to enhance family and social harmony.

Gyalpo Lhosar is celebrated in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, including the Sherpa community living in the Himalayan region of Nepal, with the belief that the new year begins on the day of February Shuklapaksha Pratipada Tithi. The Syabru dance, the melodious tunes of the Tungana Damang and the collective merriment make Gyalpo Lhosar even more meaningful.

It is also believed that this festival, which is celebrated as a new year, will help to strengthen the spirit of mutual love, brotherhood, harmony and unity in the society by carrying new hope, enthusiasm and joy. This festival creates an atmosphere of cooperation and understanding, deepening the ties between family, friendship and community.

On this occasion, the tradition of visiting monasteries, receiving blessings from religious leaders and lamas, tasting special dishes such as Khapse, Dashil, Guthuk, etc. and spending time happily together with the family is the original identity of Nepali people.