Great Prayer Festival held from 4th - 11th day of the 1st Tibetan Lunar month

The Great Prayer Festival, as known as "Monlam" in Tibetan, is held from 4th - 11th day of the 1st Tibetan Lunar month. As part of the New Year festivals in Tibet, it can be considered as one of the most important and the grandest religious festival in the year. Monks, mainly from the three main monasteries of Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, and Ganden Monastery will gather together at the Jokhang Temple to pray for good fortune in the new year, chant and perform religious rituals.

The history of the Great Prayer Festival can be dated back to 1409 when Tsong Khapa first established it. Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama's order, invited all people in Tibet to Jokhang Temple and join the event of prayer and celebrations in the first moon of the Tibetan lunar New Year. And those people spent everyday in Lhasa praying, studying, making offerings and debating. It is great that this tradition is kept and Tibetan people are still celebrating this festival in the same way.

During the festival, thousands of local Tibetan people and pilgrims from all over Tibet will go to Lhasa for chanting before the Jokhang Temple. And this festival will also see the traditional Cham dances by monks to meditate and connect with deities. Besides, the examination for the Geshe degree, the highest degree in Buddhist theology will be held during this festival. The main event is the ceremony of “unveiling the Buddha”. A 30-meter by 20-meter thangka will be carried out by Buddhist monks to show to thousands of pilgrims before Jokhang Temple.

the prayer flags tied to five poles around Jokhang Temple in Lhasa