Great Prayer Festival (4th-11th day of the 1st lunar month)

This is the greatest religious festivals in Tibet. Instituted by Tsongkpa in 1409, the founder of the Gelukpa sect. Monks from the Three Great Monastery of Tibet assemble in Jokhang for prayer to Shakyamun¡¯s image as if it were the living Buddha. Pilgrims come from every corner of Tibet and donations are offered to the monks.

'Monlam' means 'Prayer' and at monasteries a great Buddhist service is held and 'Cham' (Buddhist dances) are performed. According to the legend, in the first month of the year, Buddha conquered or converted six holy men of false religions. From New Year's Day until the end of 'Monlam', people continue to eat, drink and make merry.

The Monlam Festival, lasting from the first to the 15th day of the first month of the lunar year, is the largest religious gathering in Tibet. Tsongkhapa, founder of the Yellow Sect introduced the festival, in 1409, during the festival, lamas from the three largest monasteries gather in the Jokhang, reciting scriptures and attending an examination for the Gexi degree.

The date of the Great Prayer Festival (Smom-lam) varies. For the three great Monasteries of Lhasa, it is from the 4th to the 25th day in the first month. For Taer (Ku-bum in Tibetan, i.e., ten thousands images of Buddha) Monastery, it is form the 8th to the 15th day of the first month. For Labrang Monastery, it is from the the 3rd to the 17th day of the first month.

This is the greatest religious activity for the whole year. The Monasteries will conduct scripture chanting, show the giant Buddha Thangkas, and perform mask Tibetan opera. The people will gather together to enjoy the shows; participate in the worshiping in the nearby Monasteries. Some will even prostrate step by step all the way to Lhasa.

In Lhasa, an offering carefully crafted from butter and over 10m-high was put in the Jokhang Temple, where most of the monks from the monasteries around Lhasa would gather and hold the 'Monlam Chenmo' or 'Great Prayer Festival'.

The Essence of Tibetan Buddhism

The Great Prayer Festival, from January 8 through 14 on the Tibetan calendar, is the grandest religious festival in Tibet. It has its origin in a prayer meeting organized at Jokhang Temple by Tsong Khapa, founder of the Gelukpa Sect, in 1409. Thousands of monks from far and near will gather for prayers, theological debates and examination for Geshe, a doctoral degree in Buddhist theology, at the temple. Pilgrims will come from everywhere to listen to sermons.

Following the Tibetan New Year, this is the greatest religious festival in Tibet. It was instituted in 1409 by the founder of the Gelukpa Sect, Tsongkapa. In Jorkhang monks from the Three Great Monasteries of Tibet assemble to pray to Sakyamuni and hold philosophical debates among candidates for the Doctorate of Metaphysics. From all over Tibet pilgrims come to pray and donate to the monks. The festival lasts nearly two weeks.

In the southwestern Gansu town of Xiahe, you will join one of the grandest of all Tibetan festivals, the Monlam, or the Great Prayer Festival, which takes place on the first month of each lunar year. The festival is held in Labrang Monastery, one of the six major Tibetan monasteries of the Gelupka Sect. You will travel overland from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu, onto Linxia, a bustling town with a Muslim character, finally arriving at Xiahe, where you will join colorfully dressed pilgrims and lamas in a variety of religious ceremonies at the monastery. The highlight of the festival will be the 'sunning of the Buddha' ceremony, during which a thangka of Buddha measuring 30 meters (90 ft) by 20 meters (60 ft) will be unfurled on a hillside. The festival will be accompanied by lively drama performances, dances and prayer assemblies throughout the entire period.