Great Prayer Festival marks end of Tibetan New Year

July,28 2016 BY Master Catherine Jigme 0 COMMENTS

Falling on the 15th day of the first lunar month in Tibetan Calendar, Great Prayer Festival marks end of Tibetan New Year. The Great Prayer Festival is an unalloyed religious festival. It is a traditional Tibet festival with a history of about 600 years and could be dated back to 1409. After the Tibetan New Year, the grandest Tibetan festivals in 2013 should be Saga Dawa Festival in May and Shoton Festival in August. (Click to see Saga Dawa Festival Tour 2013 and Shoton Festival Tours 2013)

Monks participate in a prayer at the Qoide Monastery in Gonggar County of Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, Feb. 25, 2013.

A monk performs religious dance "Aqiangmu" during a prayer at the Qoide Monastery in Gonggar County of Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, Feb. 25, 2013.

A monk spreads cooked rice to people as a kind of blessing during a prayer at the Qoide Monastery in Gonggar County of Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, Feb. 25, 2013.

Devotees participate in a prayer at the Qoide Monastery in Gonggar County of Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, Feb. 25, 2013.

A huge thangka with the image of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, is unfurled during a prayer at the Qoide Monastery in Gonggar County of Shannan Prefecture, Tibet, Feb. 25, 2013.

The 15th day of the first month by the lunar year is the day when Buddha conquered or converted six holy men of false religions. On the day the Living Buddhas and monks from the Three Great Monastery of Tibet will hold a grand religious ceremonies, reciting scriptures and praying for best wishes, making the Great Prayer Festival reach the climaxes. By nightfall colorful butter-made sculptures of figures, flowers, birds, and animals are displayed on the flower beds. The tallest flowerbeds is 10 meters high while the lowest is 6 meters high. Among the sculptures some are towering, magnificent, and greatly surprising, some are beautifully wrought and charming, some are be high up in the air like birds to fly, some are repeatedly joint like a stereopaiting.

About the Author - Master Catherine Jigme

With exceptional passion and outstanding leadership, Mrs. Catherine has dedicated herself to Tibet inbound tourism and China tour for 15 years. As one of the handful females who see great potential of Chinese inbound tourism, Catherine has made great contribution to promoting Tibet tourism and enhancing the employment of Tibetans and prosperity of local Tibetan community.

Over the years, she travelled overseas with Tibet Tourism Bureau many times to promote Tibet tourism. Currently, Catherine works as the marketing director of Tibet Vista, an opinion leader behind the whole team of Tibet Vista.

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