Festivals In Dolpo

Dolpo is situated near the Tibetan borders in a secluded area of north-west Nepal. Because of the Dolpo region's cultural richness, its residents have several customs and celebrations that enhance the area's overall beauty. Festivals are events celebrated by a certain group of people, following a similar culture, during a particular period. Most of the celebrations have been going on for a long time. It helps in preserving the culture as the people remember their roots while following the rituals and traditions of festivals.

Dolpo is a remote hidden paradise located in the northwestern part of Nepal, far from the hustle and bustle of the city area. Dolpo is bordered by the Tibetan Plateau to the north, with an average elevation of 3000 to 4000 m above sea level, making it an even more isolated part of Nepal. We know that regions that are near each other influence each other’s culture so the culture in Dolpo is also somewhat influenced by the Tibetan culture. 

Dolpo is a vibrant hotpot of various religions like Hindu, Buddhist, Bon, Christian, Islam, and Kirati. The people following all these religions have their own culture and festivals; however, Dolpo is widely known for its presence of pure Tibetan Buddhism and ancient Bon religion. People travel from faraway places to learn about the Bon religion and experience the Bon culture in Dolpo firsthand. The festivals in Dolpo are also a way of preserving the unique identity, ancestry, and culture. It’s the way of upholding the identity of people by following the rituals, traditions, and festivals passed down from generation to generation. The beautiful Bon culture followers consider certain animals and natural elements such as mountains, rivers, canyons, lakes, and springs to be gods or protectors and wholeheartedly believe that their destruction will bring great misfortune to humankind -  no wonder flora and fauna thrive in Dolpo.

List of major festivals in Dolpo

Some festivals celebrated in Dolpo that add color to the whole region by spreading laughter, celebration, and positivity are listed below.

Festivals in Dolpo

Shey Festival

Losar

Yungney

Chye Chu

Chaite

Keja

Shrawan Purney and Bhadaure Purney

Dashain and Tihar

Shey Festival: The Sacred Bon Festival

• Overview: Celebrated every 12 years in a row, in the Chinese year of Dragon according to the Tibetan Calendar. It is celebrated in the Shey Gompa Monastery, which is the most sacred site in Dolpo. 
• Significance: Performing circumambulation around Crystal Mountain during this time is said to gather merits and purify karma. 
• Activities: Archery, traditional dances, puja, blessing speeches, cultural performances, etc.

Shey Festival is the most widely known festival celebrated in Dolpo. This festival is celebrated every 12 years, in the ‘Year of Dragon’ according to the Tibetan Calendar. The most recent Shey festival was celebrated in 2024 and the next one will be in 2036. During this festival, people from all around and even outside Dolpo gather in Shey Gompa, which is regarded as one of the holiest pilgrimage sites. The Shey festival is a grand celebration that lasts for 5–6 days with events like archery, traditional dances, puja, blessing speeches, and cultural performance programs on each day. During this festival, the devotees walk in a circle or perform Kora (circumambulation) around Crystal Mountain. Dolpo comes alive during the Shey festival.

Losar: Tibetan New Year

• Overview: It is the New year based on the Tibetan calendar. The Tibetan calendar is the lunar calendar, which means it follows the cycle of the moon. Thus, Losar being the New Year means it falls in the New Moon.
• Significance: It means a fresh beginning. Losar marks the victory of good over evil or light over darkness.
• Activities: Cleaning and decoration of houses and Gompas, making offerings to Gods, doing virtuous activities, gathering and feasting with relatives.

Losar literally means ‘New Year’ in Tibetan and marks the new year for those who follow Buddhism. Its date varies as it is according to the Tibetan calendar. The devotees go to Gompas to pay their respect to and take blessings from the senior Lamas. They light butter lamps and make offerings to invoke positive energy for the spiritual well-being of the upcoming year. On this day, the relatives invite each other to their houses, prepare delicacies, dance, sing, and have fun.

Other Important Festivals

In addition to the major festivals described above, the Dolpo region hosts several additional noteworthy festivals. Some of these festivals are unique to this region, while others are influenced by other cultures and places in Nepal. The festivals are listed below.

Yungney

Yungney is one of the most important festivals in Dolpo. It is a ritual festival. This festival goes on for 16 days. People gather in one place with their food and bedding. This ritual is led by the senior Lama. Under the senior Lama’s guidance, people do meditation and chant mantras. The people take food and meditate every alternate day. The day that they are meditating, they are not allowed to consume food. 

Chye Chu

This festival is performed every 10th of the month according to the Tibetan calendar. The senior Lama performs this ritual by making ‘Tsorma’ from Tsampa. The Lamas read mantras and texts. The people also gather and chant the mantras. The people later receive blessings from the head Lama.

Chaite

Chaite is the festival of relaxation that is celebrated by the people of Tichorong. It is celebrated during the month of March and it lasts for a month. During the duration of this festival, people do not go to work. They invite people to each other’s houses. They feast and celebrate by singing and dancing together.

Keja

Keja is a festival that is celebrated in March. This festival is celebrated to mark the start of the Spring season. This festival is especially celebrated by the women of Dolpo. The women of Dolpo make bread, gather in a place, and celebrate by singing and dancing in groups.

Shrawan Purney and Bhadaure Purney

Shrawan and Bhadaure Purney are Shamanic festivals. This festival falls in the month of July/August. The Dhamis (Shamans) go on pilgrimage to near and far places and come back before the full moon. They perform dances as per their ritual. The believers come with flowers, fruits, and other various things as offerings. This festival is celebrated for 2-3 days. During these days, the Dhamis tell the believers about their future. This festival symbolizes the victory of good over evil. The nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped during this festival. 

Dashain and Tihar

Dashain or Vijaya Dashami, is one of the festivals that is widely celebrated in Nepal; therefore, people of lower Dolpo celebrate it. It is the main festival of Hindus and falls in the month of Ashoj-Kartik (October-November) according to the Vikram Sambat calendar. This festival is celebrated for 15 days. It starts from Ghatasthapana. The Hindus worship Goddess Durga during the festival. The people celebrating this festival get blessings in the form of tika (a mixture of rice, yogurt, and vermillion) and Jamara (barley seedlings) from their elders. The people celebrate the festival of Dashain by gathering the whole family, including the relatives, together, eating Nepali delicacies, and playing ping (bamboo swings).

Tihar, the festival of lights, also called Deepawali, falls in the month of Kartik (October-November) according to the Virkam Sambat calendar. Tihar is celebrated for 5 days. The first day is Kaag Tihar when a crow is worshipped; Kukur Tihar is on the second day when dogs are worshipped; next is Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja when the cow and Goddess Laxmi (goddess of wealth) are worshipped; another day is Goru Tihar and Govardhan Puja, where boxes are worshipped along with commemorating the act of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan Parvat to save his villagers by worshipping cow dung shaped as the parvat. The fifth and last day is called Vai Tika, which is dedicated to the bond of brothers and sisters. Sisters perform special puja, put on tika and garlands, and prepare a lavish feast for their brothers.

Conclusion

Festivals in Dolpo offer us a glimpse into the rich cultural history of the region. The festivals in this region add colors to the region as well as the faces of the generous people of Dolpo. Especially in the Shey festival, many people travel from all around Dolpo and outside Dolpo to the sacred site of Shey Gompa for the celebration. The whole Dolpo comes alive during this time as people live in colorful camps during the whole duration of the festival. 

Although the stunning geography of Dolpo is arid, rugged, and mountainous, the people in Dolpo celebrate these festivals in all their splendor. The whole arid region of Dolpo becomes lively during the celebration of these festivals, which is a glorious sight to witness. Adding to the liveliness of the celebration are the most generous people of Dolpo. The people in Dolpo show us how living in harmony with nature and community is the core of being human, which makes it an unmissable destination to visit to have an experience that one will remember during their entire lifetime.

Also Read: Nepal Festival Calendar

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Here are some frequently asked questions about festivals celebrated in Dolpo:

What are the major festivals of Dolpo?

Most of the people in Dolpo are Hindu, followed by Buddhist, Bon, Christian, Islam, and Kirati. So some of the major festivals of Dolpo are Dashain, Tihar, Shey festival, Yungney, Buddha Jayanti, etc. 

What is the Shey Festival?

Shey festival is the most widely known festival of Dolpo, as it happens every 12 years in a row, specifically in the Chinese Year of Dragon. It is celebrated by people who follow Tibetan Buddhism. A lot of people from all around and outside Dolpo visit Shey Gompa during the duration of this festival. 

How is the Shey festival celebrated?

The Shey festival is celebrated in Shey Gompa in Dolpo. People from various parts of Dolpo and outside Dolpo travel to Shey Gompa for the Shey festival. The pilgrims and travelers live in colorful tents near Shey Gompa. The festivities last for 5-6 days during which various activities like archery, traditional dances, blessing ceremonies, cultural performances, puja, and circumambulation of the Crystal Mountain.

When is the next Shey Festival?

The next Shey Festival is in 2036 AD, in the Chinese Year of the Dragon. The Shey Festival is celebrated according to the Tibetan calendar. 

What religion is in Dolpo?

Most of the people in Dolpo are Hindu, followed by Buddhist, Bon, Christian, Islam, and Kirati. But Dolpo is widely known for its Bon religion. The BonPo culture, which has ancient history, is still alive in Dolpo in its purest form.