The best Tibetan festival for religious experience

Tibet’s religion is like a mysterious coat of Tibet and attracts many curious people from all over the world. If you are one of those curious guys, let me tell you the best Tibetan festival for religious experience.

Tibetan people celebrate all kinds of festivals throughout the year, including both religious festivals and folk ones. Among them, Saga Dawa Festival can be the grandest religious festival in Tibet in a year and also the best time to go to Tibet to experience Tibet’s religious culture. It is also the holiest festival as it is celebrated in the holiest month in Tibetan calendar.   

The fourth month in Tibetan calendar is known as the month of Saga Dawa among Tibetan people since the Saga Dawa Festival is held in the whole month. A legend says that in the fourth month, the Lord Buddha, Sakyamuni was born, became a monk, died and enlightened and preached Buddhism to sentient beings. The 15^th day of this month is the most important because the Buddha was enlightened on that day.  

As Tibetan Buddhists believe that good deeds and prayers are multiplied thousands of folds during this month. Thus, they stop killing any living things and guit eating meat on this festival. They also go to visit monasteries and donate to the monasteries. If you are making a Tibet tour in this month, you can see hundreds of Tibetan people who line up in front of temples for making their donation to the monks chanting prayers in assembly hall. They usually hold a flask full of butter in their hand for butter lamp.

Most of them also prepare small change for offering in monasteries and also for beggars. During this festival, there will be many beggars in Lhasa. If you travel to Tibet, you are also kindly recommended to prepare some change and do your good there.

Besides doing good things, Tibetan people also go to circumambulate around the Barkhor, Tsekhor (Circuit around Potala) and Lingkhor (the biggest round including all minor temples, about 14km), or liberate fishes into Lhasa River (Kyichu) and other animals according to their own budget.  

In this month, the whole Lhasa city is filled with a stronger religious atmosphere than usual. I believe your Lhasa tour made during such a religious month will also be covered by strong religious flavor.