Losar is the Tibetan New Near. Sarah and I came up to McLeod Ganj to be here for the celebration which started on Saturday. It seemed like a good idea at the time. However, almost all of the town is Tibetan-run, so the town has been all closed for most of our stay here. There is also not much peace and quiet, since firecrackers are constantly going off.

On Saturday morning we got up early and headed to the temple, for a Losar ceremony. The area around the temple was packed with Tibetans and tourists all trying to get a view of the ceremony through the temple windows. The Tibetans were all dressed in their finest clothes, while the tourists were mostly pretty scruffy. Everybody was in a festive mood.
Inside the temple, monks with large yellow hats chanted, their voiced being brought to the crowds over loudspeakers. Tea and sweet rice were served to those attending. After the monks were finished, a group of children sang and danced.
Later in the day, while Sarah rested in at the hotel, I went to visit my old neighbors. They had invited me over to celebrate with them. The stuffed me full of cookies and tea (salty butter tea and sweet milk tea). The decorations for Losar consisted of stacks of food offerings — sweet cakes, fruit, butter, tea. They explained that in Tibet, the celebration lasts for fifteen days, but here in India they limit it to three. The first day is spent at the temple, while the second and third are spent visiting friends and family.
Last night I joined my friends Champa, Pema, Raj and Mark (the friends with whom I was in Kerala) for a small gathering on their balcony. The lit a fire, cooked food and served “Chang”, home-made Tibetan barley beer. It tasted a bit like sake, but was not as strong. It was fun to see them again now at the end of my trip.