Losar

The festival of Losar is held in the state of Sikkim in India to mark a new year according to the Tibetan or Ladakhi calender. The Losar of Sikkim is a very joyous festival, in which people take part in songs and dances spontaneously. According to the lunar calender, this famous festival spans for a period of 2 weeks in December and January. The Losar Festival is also called the Sonam Losar Festival in Sikkim.

The earlier part of the festival remains a private affair of the different families of the state. But, in the latter part of the festival, people celebrate the new year on the streets. Two unique recipes are specially associated with the festival of Losar in Sikkim. One of them is stuffed sheep, in which the intestine of a sheep is stuffed with a mixture of barley and the blood of the sheep. Another recipe constitutes of peas, barley and a sheep's stomach.

The festival of Losar at Sikkim is associated with quite a few rituals. The people of Sikkim paint their homes and were new clothes. Old differences between people are worked out and debts are cleared. The people like to cook special recipes on this day. They adorn their homes with colorful paintings depicting the Moon and the Sun.

Other than the rituals, the Ibex dear dance is quite a popular part of the festival of Losar in Sikkim. Some dramatic presentations like the war of good versus evil and the fight between the ministers and their king are watched with great interest by the people of Sikkim on this occasion.