Ladakh Calender & Festival

The people of Ladakh follow Tibetan calendar. Their year consists of 12 months each of 30 days for two consecutive years and the third year consists of 13 months. The extra month is added in between on the day considered auspicious.

Tibetan months are numbered and not named. Only days of a week are named. The days of the week and are named after the sun, the moon and five visible planets. Another peculiarity in the calendar is that some days of the week are omitted during a month considered inauspicious and the word Chad (cut off) appears on calendar. That day of the month does not exist in the year. Thus their year consist of days less than 360 at variance with a true lunar year.

The Tibetan New Year begins with the rising of the new moon in February or March depending on when the extra month is added. For these difficulties, the dates on which the festivals of Ladakh will fall according to Western Solar year cannot be worked out.

Name of the festival Venue 2018 2019 2020
Spituk Gustor Spituk Monastery January 14-15 January 3-4 January 22-23
Leh & Likir Dosmochey Leh & Likir February 13-14 February2-3 February21-23
Yargon Tungshak Nubra (Yarma) February19-22 February8-9 February 27-28
Stok Guru Tsechu Stok February 24-25 February 15-17 March 3-4
Matho Nagrang Matho March 1-2 February 18-19 March 8-9
Saka Dawa Ladakh 29 May 17 June 5 June
Yuru Kabgyat Lamayuru Monastery June 12-13 July 29-30 June 18-19
Hemis Tsechu Hemis Monastery July 23-24 July 11-12 June 30-July 1
Sachukul Gustor Sachukul Monastery June 30-July 1 July 19-20 July 7-8
Ladakh Polo Festival Shagran, Chushot Gongma July 11-17 July 11-17 July 11-17
Stongday Gustor Stongdey Monastery July 1-2 July 20-21 July 8-9
Karsha Gustor Karsha Monastery July 11-12 July 30-31 July 18-19
Phyang Tsesdup Phyang Monastery July 11-12 July 30-31 July 18-19
Korzok Gustor Korzok Monastery July 15-16 August 3-4 July 23-24
Dakthok Tseschu Dakthok Monastery July 22-23 August 10-11 July29-30
Sani Nasjal Sani Palace July 26-27 August 14-15 August 2-3
Deskit Gustor Diskit Monastery October 7-8 October 26-27 October 14-15
Thiksay Gustor Thiksey Monastery October 27-28 November 15-16 November 3-4
Chemday Wangchok Chemrey Monastery November 5-6 November 24-25 November 13-14
Galden Namchot Ladakh November 5-6 November 24-25 November 13-14
Ladakhi Losar Ladakh December 8 December 27 December 15

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