The Tibetan New Year is one of the most important Tibetan holidays. It occurs about the same time as the Chinese New Year, but it is calculated according to the Tibetan lunar calendar.

At cockcrow early in the morning on the first day of the Tibetan New year, housewives get up and carry “new water.” It is said that Heaven offers the “new water” to Tibetan people, and the fuller the bucket is with this new water, the more prosperous the family will be in the coming year. Anyone who drinks the “new water” will be free from illness and enjoy a long and healthy life. The men ride to the holy hill of the village for prayers; and during the day, all the villages hold a horserace event. On the second day, people go out to visit other families and exchange greetings. They exchange greetings by offering hada, a long silk scarf that is semi-transparent, extremely light and most of them white in color. To offer someone hada signifies “offering of a pure, friendly heart.” Tibetans are good singers and excellent dancers. Songs are melodious and words are in rhyme. Melodious, poetic songs are also an important part of the New Year’s festivities.

This article by Yang Tianqing and Daniel Kister.