Headed to the Himalayas? The Tibetan Phalgun Festivals kicks off this year with Losar (Feb 8-10). Losar means “New Year” in Tibetan, and celebrates just that—the beginning of the New Year. Buddhist monks dress in dark-red robes for the celebration and everyone drinks changkol, a Tibetan rice wine.
Losar is followed by Shivaratri (March 6), or “Night of Shiva,” which features lots of food, drink and music. There’s also the tradition of proving one’s strength through unusual feats, including lifting weights using “sensitive” body parts. Head to the Bagmati River, where margosa petals mix with devout bathers, many in the buff.
At the third festival, Holi (March 22), the “Festival of Colors”, the chir pole is raised at Basantapur Square.
