Festival · Mirik
Losar at Bokar Monastery
Tibetan New Year at the Kagyu monastery above Mirik. Monks hold special prayers in the days around Losar, prayer flags are renewed and Buddhist families from the area come up in their best clothes to make offerings.
Losar is the Tibetan New Year, celebrated by Tibetan Buddhists and by many Buddhist communities across the Himalaya. It falls in February or March, depending on the Tibetan lunar calendar. Before it comes a period of cleaning and of rituals to clear away the obstacles of the old year; on and after New Year's Day come prayers, offerings, visits to family and new prayer flags on the rooftops and ridges.
At Bokar Monastery, founded above Mirik by Bokar Rinpoche in 1984, the monks hold special prayers around the New Year, and Buddhist families from Mirik and the surrounding tea villages come up in traditional dress to light butter lamps, make offerings and receive blessings. Programmes vary year to year.
For visitors it is a calm, colourful time to see the monastery as a living community. Keep to the edges, dress modestly and follow the monks' lead.
Tips
- Ask at the monastery a few days ahead for the year's programme.
- Walk clockwise around the prayer wheels and the monastery.
- Do not photograph monks or rituals inside the prayer hall without permission.
Most hill festivals follow lunar calendars, so dates move each year. Check current status before you travel.
Questions people ask
Good to know
When is Losar at Bokar Monastery?
Losar follows the Tibetan lunar calendar and usually falls in February or March. The exact date changes every year. Check the date for the year and ask the monastery about its programme before you travel, as ceremonies vary.
Can visitors attend Losar prayers at Bokar?
Usually yes, quietly and respectfully. Dress modestly, remove shoes where asked, sit at the back and do not photograph inside the prayer hall without permission. Some rituals may be private to the monastic community.
Is there a mask dance at Bokar for Losar?
We have not confirmed a regular cham mask dance at Bokar for Losar, so do not plan on one. Ask the monastery for the year's programme. Prayers, offerings and family visits are the core of the celebration.
What should I bring to the monastery at Losar?
Nothing is required. Many visitors offer a white khata scarf or a small donation, and some bring butter-lamp offerings. Bring warm clothes, as February mornings in Mirik are cool, and a little cash for the donation box.