What is Sonam Losar and Its Importance
Sonam Losar is a special festival of Tamang Community from Nepal. The word Losar (Lhosar) means New Year or the beginning of a new era. This festival is celebrated on the first day of new moon or in other words the very next day after the no moon day of the month of Magh (Magh Sukla Pratipada). Sonam Losar this year is on the 25th of January 2020.
The Sonam Losar is according to the Tibetan calendar. This calendar is made up of twelve lunar months and Lhosar begins on the first day of the first month. However, the celebration day is different in different Tibeto-Burman communities.
Tamang community the year with the association of symbols of 12 different animals starting from Rat and ends with Boar. Check out the following symbolic picture and table of the cyclic calendar.
Table of New Year Date and Animal Associated with it
| Animal Names | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamang | English | Nepali | New Year Start Dates | ||
| जिवा | Rat | मुसा | 19-Feb-96 | 7-Feb-08 | 25-Jan-20 |
| लङ | Ox | साँढे | 7-Feb-97 | 26-Jan-09 | 12-Feb-21 |
| तक | Tiger | बाघ | 28-Jan-98 | 14-Feb-10 | 1-Feb-22 |
| हे (कुरी) | Rabbit | खरायो | 16-Feb-99 | 3-Feb-11 | 22-Jan-23 |
| डुक | Dragon | गरुँढ | 5-Feb-00 | 23-Jan-12 | 10-Feb-24 |
| डुल | Snake | सर्प | 24-Jan-01 | 10-Feb-13 | 29-Jan-25 |
| ता | Horse | घोडा | 12-Feb-02 | 31-Jan-14 | 17-Feb-26 |
| लुक | Goat/Sheep | भेडा | 1-Feb-03 | 19-Feb-15 | 7-Feb-27 |
| टे | Monkey | बाँदर | 22-Jan-04 | 8-Feb-16 | 27-Jan-28 |
| च्या, ज्या | Rooster | कुखुरा | 9-Feb-05 | 28-Jan-17 | 13-Feb-29 |
| खि | Dog | कुकुर | 29-Jan-06 | 16-Feb-18 | 3-Feb-30 |
| फक | Pig/Boar | सुंगुर | 18-Feb-07 | 5-Feb-19 | 23-Jan-31 |
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