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Many important Tibetan Festivals are celebrated in winter. One of the major festivals you shouldn’t miss is the Palden Lhamo Festival.
Palden Lhamo Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. On this day, Tibetan people pay homage to Palden Lhamo, a wrathful three-eye deity who is regarded as the principal protectress of Buddhists and Buddhism. Palden Lhamo is particularly venerated by the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. During the festival, a special statue of the frog-faced Palden Lhamo is shown to the public. People queue up for hours to offer Khatak (white scarf) and Tibetan barley wine to the statue at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Other activities are also being held, such as bonfire dancing and drinking wine, to celebrate the Palden Lhamo Festival. Barkhor Street is the best location to feel the festive atmosphere.
Palden Lhamo Festival is also known as Lover’s Day. One among many legends of Palden Lhamas goes like this: Palden Lhamo’s daughter Bal Lhamo deity fell in love with Tizunzan who is also a protective deity of Jokhang Temple. When this was discovered by Palden Lhamo, she was strongly against it and punished Tizunzan by making him stay away on the south bank of Lhasa River. The two lovers promised to meet each other once a year across the river on this special day.
The religious festival has become a particular favorite of women in Lhasa. They are all dressed up with their finest traditional outfits and have party in the afternoon singing and dancing. There is one interesting privilege for women on this day, which is asking men for money and presents and men are meant to oblige them during the festival. No wonder the Palden Lhamo Festival is also called the Women’s Festival nowadays in Tibet.
