The festival of Losar gets its name from the Tibetan word Losar, the meaning of losar is ‘New Year’ in English. A vibrant celebration marking new beginnings, Losar is a culturally rich festival celebrated by Tibetan Buddhists and other Himalayan communities in India. The festival's origins are profoundly intertwined with Tibet's history, religious practises, and mythology that date back to the pre-Buddhist era.

The roots of Losar can be dated back to the times of the ancient Bon religion, the religion that preceded the occurrence of Buddhism in Tibet. As per the celebrations of the people who followed the Bon religion, Losar was a winter solstice ritual celebrated to ward off evil spirits and welcome longer days. The ceremonies were performed to appease local deities and spirits, especially those associated with nature.

It was in the 7th century when Buddhism was introduced to Tibet, and the festival of Losar began to incorporate Buddhist elements in its traditions and customs. It is believed that this integration successfully added a rich spiritual dimension to Losar as it blended ancient Bon traditions with recent Buddhist philosophy. 

According to Tibetan history, the festival of Losar is said to have emerged during the 4th century CE during the 9th Tibetan king, Pude Gungyal’s reign. Another legend also talks of an old woman named Belma, who is believed to have introduced the concept of Lunar Time measurement. It was a groundbreaking innovation that was particularly significant for agricultural communities, helping them plan their farming activities. To honour her contribution, ceremonies were performed at local springs, as people offered gratitude to the Nagas or water spirits. 

The Chinese invasion of Tibet and the exile of the 14th Dalai Lama in 1959 led many Tibetan locals to flee to neighbouring countries like India, Nepal, and Bhutan. In India, Tibetan refugees are commonly settled in places like Dharamshala, Sikkim, and Ladakh. These refugees are believed to have brought Losar's cultural and religious traditions.

While it is a Buddhist festival, Losar is also intertwined with local Hindu rituals in regions like Ladakh, where it is associated with the King Gaser of Ling. Losar is a celebration of the bravery and wisdom of a king who was considered a cultural hero and the bearer of divinity here. Across the northern regions of India, it is celebrated as a time for offerings, prayers, and family reunions. It signifies the triumph of good over evil, the renewal of life, hope and prosperity, and the purification of the mind and body. It serves as a perfect blend of a festival that holds cultural and spiritual significance. Rituals and customs are designed to welcome positive energies for the new year while eliminating every lingering negativity from the year gone by.

The celebrations of Losar span several days, each custom and ritual having its unique significance and traditional practice. The preparations for Losar begin in advance before the actual festival. Families come together to clean their homes thoroughly to remove every negative energy that overshadowed their house from the previous year. Their abodes are decorated with fragrant flowers and spacious drawings of the sun, moon, and stars, manifested with white flour. The preliminary days of the celebration are called Gutor, which translates to the offering of the ‘29th’, celebrated during the two days before Losar. The Gutor Eve is marked by locals making a special soup called Ghuthuk, which contains various ingredients, dumplings, and hidden items. The hidden items symbolise different traits; charcoal signifies a dark heart, whereas a wall represents kindness. This ceremonial meal is an exciting way to reflect on one’s traits. On Losar Eve, monks get together to perform Cham dances, wearing elaborate masks and costumes. It symbolises the struggle between God and evil and is meant to drive away negative spirits. People greet each other by saying Losar bey tashi delek which translates to ‘Blessings and good luck for the new year’.   Other rituals include the Lama Losar, a day where visits to the monastery for prayer and offerings are a mandate, after which monks perform religious ceremonies to invoke blessings for the coming year. A Tibetan-Nepali equivalent, Changkol, is prepared from Chhaang and consumed as a symbol of joy and festivity. Other dishes such as Dresil and Khapse are also prepared on Losar. Colourful processions and parades, often involving traditional costumes and music, are celebrated to honour the community heritage. Lighting butter lamps in monasteries and homes is a common practice identified with the celebrations of Losar. 

Losar is one of the most important festivals celebrated in the Ladakh region. Traditional Cham dance is performed by monks in a monastery, fire procession take place, and homes are decorated with fragrant flowers and auspicious symbols as the locals of Ladakh celebrate the festival. The highlight of the celebrations in Ladakh is the Metho procession, as people carry flaming torches and chant prayers to expel evil spirits. In Sikkim, Losar is known as Namsoong. The celebrations involve mask dances, community feasts, and rituals and monasteries. The Monpa tribe in Arunachal Pradesh celebrate the festival by gathering together and indulging in folk songs, dances, and ceremonies. The festival reflects the importance of family gatherings, communal feasts, and traditional performances. It strongly reflects the region's unique blend of Tibetan and indigenous traditions. Within the state of Himachal Pradesh, in areas like Lahaul and Spiti, people gather to participate in various religious and cultural activities to mark the beginning of the New Year.

A significant aspect of the vibrant celebrations of Losar is the traditional attire worn by men and women that not only reflects their Tibetan identity but also showcases the craftsmanship and artistry of the region. 

Women are seen wearing the Chuba, a full-length rope wrapped around the body and secured with a sash at the waist. It is usually made from silk, wool, and brocade, depending on the wearer’s social status and the occasion. The Pandgen is an essential part of a married woman’s attire, a colourful striped apron that symbolises marital status and her role within family and community. The colourful stripes are believed to invite good fortune and happiness into her life. Common among younger women, a shorter version of the Chuba, a Togha, is the practical choice for daily activities during the festival. Traditional Tibetan boots, also called Soks, are an integral part of women’s traditional clothing as they are functional and decorative, made of leather and embroidered with colourful patterns, making them an ideal choice for the cold climate of the Himalayan regions.

The fabrics for the traditional attire are the techniques passed down through generations of skilled artisans. The fabrics for the Chuba and Pangden are usually woollen and are commonly handled using conventional methods. The process involves tedious spinning of the wool and then weaving it with hands on a handloom with skilled techniques. Intricate decorative embroidery is manifested on these garments, especially the Soks and the borders of the Chuba. This embroidery holds traditional motifs such as lotus flowers, geometric patterns, and dragons that have symbolic meanings in Tibetan culture and history. Dragons symbolise protection, authority, and power and are often portrayed in a dynamic and flowing style that represents their mythical nature. Geometric patterns reflect the harmony and balance of the universe. They include endless knots and symmetrical designs like mandalas that reflect balance and harmony. The lotus flowers represent spiritual growth, enlightenment, and pity and are a common motive in Tibetan Buddhism. They are often used in religious and ceremonial attire like that of Losar. The vibrant colours of Tibetan attire are achieved by using natural dyes made from plants, minerals, and other natural sources. The colours used in these garments are aesthetically pleasing and carry a rich symbolic meaning ingrained in Tibetan culture and religious beliefs. Red is associated with happiness and prosperity, yellow represents fertility, the earth, and one connection to nature, whereas white symbolises spiritual awakening and purity. Blue represents spirituality and the sky, whereas green symbolises harmony, balance, and nature.

The traditional attire worn by men is one of its kind and truly embodies the spirit of Tibetan culture as they celebrate the festival of Losar. Like women, they also wear the Chuba, a long rope-like garment which is the Tibetan staple. They wear a knee-length robe which is paired with a belt similar to the Chuba but often designed with a different cut that allows for more ease of movement, called the Gho. The Kera is a long, colourful scarf men wear around their necks or draped over their shoulders. It is handwoven from fine wool or silk with richly decorated traditional patterns. Like women, they also wear traditional Tibetan boots called Soks, which are made from leather and decorated with intricate embroidery.