Pokhara & the Annapurnas · Pokhara
Tamu Lhosar
तमु ल्होसार
Tamu Lhosar is the Gurung new year, celebrated on 15 Poush, around 30 December, and a public holiday in Nepal. In Pokhara and Gurung villages such as Ghandruk, families gather in traditional dress for blessings, feasts, songs and dances to welcome a new animal year.
The Gurung, who call themselves Tamu, count years in a twelve-year cycle called Lohokor, each year represented by an animal: eagle, serpent, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog, deer, mouse, cow, tiger and cat. In Tamu Kyi, the Gurung language, the word is explained as Lho, new, and Sar, change, and Lhosar marks the farewell to one animal year and the welcome of the next. It falls on 15 Poush, which in most years is 30 December.
Pokhara, with its large Gurung population, is one of the best places in Nepal to see it. Community organisations hold public gatherings with stages, speeches, music and dance, and the city fills with people in Gurung dress: velvet blouses, heavy gold and coral jewellery for women, the bhangra cloth crossed over the chest for men. Lamas perform prayers, elders give blessings, and families visit one another with food and drink.
In the hill villages, Lhosar is more intimate: households clean and decorate, cook feasts of meat, sel roti and local drinks, and young people sing and dance late into the night. Many Gurung families living abroad or in Kathmandu return home for it. For visitors, Lhosar is a rare chance to see Gurung culture in its own celebration rather than a performance.
Tips
- Ask your hotel or guide where the main community Lhosar gatherings in Pokhara are being held that year.
- Dress modestly and ask before photographing people, especially elders in traditional dress and jewellery.
- Expect some offices and shops to close on the day, as Tamu Lhosar is a public holiday.
- If you are trekking in late December, plan a night in a Gurung village such as Ghandruk around the date.
Questions
When is Tamu Lhosar celebrated?
Tamu Lhosar falls on 15 Poush in the Nepali Bikram Sambat calendar, which in most years corresponds to 30 December, occasionally a day either side. It is a national public holiday in Nepal. Celebrations often begin the evening before and continue for several days in villages. Check the exact date for your year before you travel.
What is Tamu Lhosar?
Tamu Lhosar is the new year of the Gurung people, who call themselves Tamu. It marks the change from one year to the next in a twelve-year cycle of animal years called Lohokor. Families gather in traditional dress for blessings by lamas and elders, feasts, songs and dances, and community events are held in Pokhara and other Gurung areas.
Where is the best place to see Tamu Lhosar?
Pokhara has large public celebrations organised by Gurung community groups, with stages, music, dance and crowds in traditional dress. For a village celebration, Gurung villages around Pokhara such as Ghandruk, Sikles or Dhampus are good, though you should go with a local guide and be invited. Kathmandu also hosts gatherings.
Is Tamu Lhosar the same as Tibetan Losar?
No. Several Himalayan peoples have their own Lhosar. Tamu Lhosar is the Gurung new year on 15 Poush, around 30 December. Sonam Lhosar of the Tamang falls in January or February, and Gyalpo Lhosar of the Sherpa and Tibetan communities in February or March. They share the idea of a new year and animal cycles but differ in dates and customs.