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Saga month, seize the rare opportunity of the special month

On the 1^stday of the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar (May 12, 2021), we officially enter the “Saga Dawa” in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition!

“Saga Dawa” is a Tibetan transliteration, “Saga” is Root (one of the 28 stars), and “Dawa” is the moon. Together, it means Root Month.

2000 years ago, there were three extraordinary events that happened in this month (though not in the same year): the birth , enlightenment and Nirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni!

Since then, the month of Root has become the holiest month in Tibetan Buddhism.

8^th day of the 4^th month: Buddha’s Birthday

More than 2,600 years ago, on the seventh day of the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar, Mrs. Maya, the pregnant Queen of the Shakya tribe, gave birth to a healthy baby boy in Lumbini Park near his hometown of Tianbi City (now near Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal). Named Gautama Siddhartha.

15^th day of the 4^th month: Enlightenment

After marrying a wife and having children in the world, Gautama Siddhartha became a monk after 35 years of carefree prince life.

He has been practicing asceticism for six years in the ascetic forest, but he has not attained enlightenment. From this he realized that asceticism is not the way to practice. So he stepped off the ascetic seat. A shepherdess by the river saw the haggard prince and offered him chyle (a highly nutritious dairy product).

After taking the chyle, the prince gradually recovered his strength and came to sit under a bodhi tree and made a vow: “If I can’t enlighten, I won’t leave this seat for the rest of my life.”

Forty-nine days later, at the dawn of the 15^th day of the 4^th month, Siddhartha finally enlightened under the Bodhi tree and achieved supreme enlightenment, that is, the most extraordinary Buddha.

15^th day of the 4^th month: Nirvana

After the Buddha attained enlightenment, a large number of disciples were accepted, the Sangha was established, and many sentient beings were educated.

Forty-five years later, the Buddha, who was showing his twilight, lay on the night of 15^th day of the 4^th month, lying between the trees of Sala, leaving his disciples with his final instructions, and entered Nirvana peacefully and quietly.

2020 Litang Festival date is confirmed to be held from July 29^th to 31^st

In 2019, Litang Festival was named Cangyang Gyatso Poem & Song festival; in 2020, the Litang Festival is named Garze Mountain Festival; However, Tibetan horse-racing is the main program of this festival.

In this May and June there were two horse-racing qualifier contests being held in Litang in order to select the best group of horses and tibetan riders; The horse-racing in this July shall define the best horse and rider of Year 2020

Lhagang King Gesar Festival is to be held in Lhagang monastery, also known as Tagong monastery. This King Gesar dance was held in the yard of Lhagang monastery which is about 400 kilometers west from Chengdu, approximately 1 full day drive is needed.

Lhagang monastery King Gesar from Tibetan Trekking Travel on Vimeo.

Hong Po Si is also the name of Hong Po Monastery, it is hidden in the Hong Po village of Deqin county; It was a monastery belongs to Karma Kagyu Sect of Tibetan Religion, but converted to be a Gelug Pa sect of monastery after only 160 yrs after its establishment;

It is one of the monasteries that has the architecture features of both Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism tradition; it is regarded as the “Mother monastery” of the three Main Tibetan Monasteries of Deqin County. The other two monasteries are Deqinlin monastery and Dongzhulin Monastery

2020 Tongren festival date has been defined. It is from August 5^th to 14^th. During this 10 days, local people will dressup to particapte this annual grand celebrations.

For touring this festival, please visit this page for detail programs

2019 Litang Festival date has been confirmed to be held from July 29^th to August 2^nd. The theme of this 2019 Litang festival is been decided as “Meet Tsangyang Gyatso Poetry Festival”;

“Tsangyang Gyatso” is also called (RIGDZIN) Tsangyang Gyatso, who was the 6^th Dalai Lama, and also a great poet. He wrote “White cranes! Please lend me your wings, don’t fly far away, just go to Litang.” This has made Litang to be one desired land that Tibetan come to live;

2019 Litang Festival has been decisived that is with theme of “Meet Tsangyang Gyatso Poetry Festival”, in addition, there will Horse-Racing competetion, Local Matsutake Food Festival, Litang Agricultural product festival, Tibetan Folk Performance Festival; It is a big celebration with 5 different festivals;

Come and join the great Tibetan Festival…..