Sikkim's Festivals
There are many Sikkim festivals that can be enjoyed while on a vacation to this beautiful destination. With many rituals, ceremonies, and things to do during these festivals, the entire arrangement becomes a beautiful spectacle that one shouldn’t miss while on a holiday at this beautiful destination. In this blog lets check out the famous Sikkim festivals you can enjoy in Sikkim if you have a visit there.
Sonam Lhochhar Festival
Amongst the Sikkim important festivals is the Sonam Lhochhar Festival, also spelled as Sonam Lhosar. It is celebrated by the Tamang community. This marks the beginning of the Tibetan New Year for the community. The rituals are performed with the utmost gusto and the celebrations are full of fanfare and zeal. Men and women get dressed up in colorful and traditional attire. There are masked men who dance to the rhythmic beats of Damphu to get rid of all the negative energies and evil spirits.
Losoong Festival
Losoong is one of the most important festivals in Sikkim. This festival is the start of Sikkimese New Year. This is also the season of harvesting for the local communities and since the festival also coincides with this time, the celebration and merriment is doubled. The festival has many traditional folk dances, rituals, and ceremonies. This occasion is celebrated with utmost gusto not just by the locals, but also by the tourists too.
The dates for Losoong Festival are different every year, based on the Tibetan Lunar Calendar. The day typically falls on the 18th day of the 10th lunar month, which is usually December. The duration of this festival is for 4 days and there are arrangements for cultural programs at monasteries like Rumtek and Tsuklakhang Palace.
Losar Festival
Losar is a Tibetan word that translates to New Year in the English language. It coincides with the end of harvesting season giving the farmers a much-needed relief from all the work and celebrating their hard work and patience. The occasion is really special to the Tibetan Buddhists who are residing in this beautiful state. Along with the other things, the ritual of making a mixture of roasted barley flour and butter and offering it on home altars is significant. Its basically praying for a good harvest in the current New Year.
Saga Dawa Festival
Saga Dawa festival celebrates Lord Buddhas birthday and is a great day for the people who follow Mahayana Buddhism. The monks of the Mahayana Buddhism light butter lamps on these days in the monasteries. This way they show their obeisance to Lord Buddha who is believed to have enlightened their paths in life. It is one of the best family-friendly-festivals in Sikkim. |
| Sneha jain |
Out of all the Sikkim festivals, this occasion is on an off-beaten track, yet it tells many cultural stories of this beautiful destination. The festival is that of Diwali under the name of Tihar. The duration of this amazing festival is around five days with each day fixated on something special. On the first day, crows are worshipped – the symbols of sorrow and sadness. The second day calls for Kukkar Tihar when dogs are worshipped and offered garlands and tilak. Each day out of the five honors some of the most significant animals in Hindu mythology. While enjoying a trip to Sikkim, do visit this place.
Indrajatra Festival
The Nepalese community in Sikkim celebrate this festival and there is a huge fanfare during it in the entire state. The festival is named after the Hindu God of rain called Indra. During the festival, one seeks the blessings of the rain gods in the forms of rain and showers. There are huge chariot processions, dance performances, use of masks and many classical dance performances. This is considered to be the best time to plan a trip to Sikkim and other nearby areas.
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