Buddhist festival Saga Dawa celebrated in Sikkim

Sikkim is celebrating the festival of Saga Dawa on 23 May 2023 on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.The Buddhist across the world are celebrating the Buddha purnima which marks the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama as Lord Buddha.

Saga Dawa festival of Sikkim 

The Saga Dawa, also known as the 'Triple Blessed Festival', falls annually on the 15th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar.  Saga means the fourth and Dawa means month in Tibetan. It is the most sacred Buddhist festival, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana (passing away) of Buddha Shakyamuni. During this month, Buddhists of Sikkim offer prayers in various monasteries of the state.  

Important festivals of Sikkim 

Some of the important festivals of Sikkim as follows :

Drupka Tshechi

Drupka Tshechi festival marks the first preaching of Lord Buddha’s to his first five disciples at Sarnath,  The festival is held on the 4th day of the 6th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar.

Lhabab Dhuechen Festival 

Lhabab Dhuechen festival symbolises the descent of Buddha from the heaven of the thirty three gods after visiting his mother in heavan. Prayer ceremonies are conducted in various monasteries across the state in reverence to this holy day. It is  believed that Lord Buddha  went to heaven to meet his mother who died when he was very young. Buddha gave sermons to his mother and came back to earth through a ladder built by Vishwakarma. 

Losar

Losar in Tibetan means new year. Losar is a Tibetan new year which is celebrated by the people of Sikkim influenced by the Tibbetan Buddhist heritage. The festival normally falls in February month though the date varies as per the lunar Tibetan calendar.

Sonam Lochar      

Sonam Lochar marks the beginning of the New Year for the Tamang communities of Sikkim. The festival falls in the month January - February Spring season.

People perform a traditional dance -Tamang Selo, in colourful, traditional clothes. 

Dasai 

Dasai  festivals coincide with Dusherra in other parts of the country. It is celebrated by the Hindu  Nepalese community of Sikkim in October.

 Pang Lhabsol

Pang Lhabsol festival is to honour the third highest mountain peak Kanchenjunga. Mount  Kanchenjunga is considered to be the guardian deity of Sikkim and is also the highest mountain peak of India after Moustern Austen or K2. The festival is considered very auspicious in the months of August and September.

Tendong Lho Rum Faat

The Tendong Lho Rum Faat festival is celebrated by the Lepchas communities of Sikkim. The festival takes place on Tendong Hill in South Sikkim and other parts of the state. 

Guru Rimpoche’s Thunkar Tshechu

Thrunkar Tsechu marks the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche or Guru Padmasambhava. Guru Rimpoche is considered to be the founder of Tibetan Buddhism and introduced Buddhism in Sikkim and other neighbouring Himalayan regions during the 8th century.

Trungkar Tsechu is observed on the tenth day of the fifth month of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar (July-August) every year.

Kagyed Dance

Kagyed dance is a dance festival which is usually celebrated in the month of December. In the name of eight tantrik Gods and Goddesses commonly called Kagyed, lamas on these days perform dances and sing songs in different monasteries and offer prayers.

Losoong/Namsoong

The festival of Loosong is celebrated in December every year with traditional gaiety and colour by the Lepchas and Bhutias. The festival marks the end of the Tibetan year and the end of the harvest season. To celebrate the victory of good over evil, several religious dances are performed in various monasteries known as Chaams.

Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese are the three main communities of Sikkim. The majority of Sikkim's residents are of Nepali ethnic origin who migrated from Nepal to Sikkim.

Lepchas are considered as the original inhabitants of Sikkim much before the settlement of Bhutias and Nepalese. The Lepchas are basically Buddhist and Christian. 

Bhutias follow Tibetan Buddhism and are from the  Kham area in Eastern Tibet.  

Most of the Nepalese population are Hindus except Sherpas and Tamangs, who are Buddhists.