CleanupBot II at 22:55, 13 August 2023

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{see also|Indian New Year's days}}
{{Infobox holiday
|holiday_name = Galdan Namchot
|type = Buddhism
|image = Leh Palace in night.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption = [[Leh Palace]] lit in night on Galdan Namchot, 2016
|official_name =
|nickname =
|observedby = [[Ladakh#Culture|Ladakhis]] [[Buddhism|Buddhists]]
|litcolor =
|longtype = Religious festival<br />New year<br />Commemoration
|significance = Commemorate the birth and parinirvana (death) of [[Je Tsongkhapa]] and marking of beginning of [[Ladakh]]i new year
|begins = December
|ends = December
|date = 25th day of the 10th month of the [[Tibetan calendar|Tibetan lunar calendar]].
|scheduling = Different day each year
|duration = 1 day
|frequency = Annual

|week_ordinal = 
|weekday = 
|month = 

|date2012 = 8 December
|date2013 = 23 December
|date2014 = 16 December
|date2015 = 5 December
|date2016 = 23 December
|date2017 = 12 December
|date2018 = 2 December
|date2019 = 21 December
|date2020 = 10 December
|celebrations =
|observances =
|relatedto = [[Losar]], [[Losoong Festival]]
}}
{{Tibetan Buddhism}}
'''Galdan Namchot''' is a festival celebrated in Tibet, Mongolia and many regions of Himalaya and particularly in [[Ladakh]], India. It is to commemorate the birth as well as parinirvana (death) and the [[Buddhahood]] of [[Je Tsongkhapa]] (1357–1419 [[Anno Domini|AD]]), a famous Scholar/teacher of [[Tibetan Buddhism]] whose activities led to the formation of the [[Gelug]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]]. Galdan Namchot also marks the beginning of the new year celebrations in Ladakh.

==History==
[[Je Tsongkhapa]] was born in the city of Tsongkha in [[Amdo]], [[Tibet]] (present-day [[Haidong]] and [[Xining]], [[Qinghai]]) in 1357. He was a famous teacher of [[Tibetan Buddhism]] whose activities led to the formation of the [[Gelug]] school of [[Tibetan Buddhism]].<ref>''Heart Jewel: The Essential Practices of Kadampa Buddhism'', p. 3, Tharpa Publications (2nd. ed., 1997) {{ISBN|978-0-948006-56-2}}</ref> On the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the [[Tibetan calendar|Tibetan lunar calendar]], ''Galdan Namchot'' is celebrated to commemorate birthday and [[Buddhahood]] of Je Tsongkhapa. Galdan Namchot also marks the beginning of the [[Losar|new year]] (which falls after five days of the Galdan Namchot festival and continues till the ''[[Dosmoche]] festival'' in February).<ref name="Welcoming the New Year">{{cite news|title=Welcoming the New Year|publisher=rechladakh.com|access-date=25 December 2016|url=http://www.reachladakh.com/archive_details.php?pID=1333}}</ref><ref name="Tsongkhapa's Birthday and Buddhahood">{{cite news|title=Tsongkhapa's Birthday and Buddhahood|publisher=aryabhatt.com|access-date=25 December 2016|url=http://www.aryabhatt.com/fast_fair_festival/Festivals/Galdan%20Namchot%20Festival.htm}}</ref>

Ladkahi's follow the [[Tibetan calendar|Tibetan lunar calendar]]. Historically Losar, thereby Galdan Namchot were celebrated in the twelfth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. Owing to a war in [[Skardu]] during reign of [[Raja Jamyang Namgyal]] (1595–1616 [[Anno Domini|AD]]), Ladakh started celebrating Losar two months before in the tenth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar.<ref name="Welcoming the New Year"/>

==Celebrations==
As a part of the ''Galdan Namchot'' festival, [[Monastery|monasteries]], [[building|public]] and residential buildings are lit up.<ref name="Welcoming the New Year"/> Butter lamps are also lit up which symbolizes the annihilation of darkness.<ref name="Welcoming the New Year"/> Traditional dishes such as [[Thukpa]], [[Momo (dumpling)|Momo]] and [[Butter tea]] is prepared and served in households. ''Khatak'', a traditional ceremonial scarf is gifted by Ladakhi people.<ref name="Galdan Namchot Festival">{{cite news|title=Galdan Namchot Festival|publisher=lehladakhindia.com|access-date=25 December 2016|url=http://www.lehladakhindia.com/festivals/galdan-namchot-festival/}}</ref><ref name="Galdan Namchot Festival 2013">{{cite news|title=Galdan Namchot Festival 2013|publisher=lehladakhtoursindia.com|access-date=25 December 2016|url=http://www.lehladakhtoursindia.com/Blog/amazing-land-ladakh-celebrating-galdan-namchot-festival-2013/}}</ref>

==Schedule==
Since Ladakh follows the Tibetan lunar calendar and Galdan Namchot festival comes on the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month Tibetan calendar, every year the festival falls on different dates of the [[Gregorian calendar]].<ref name="Welcoming the New Year"/><ref name="Calendar of Monastic festival">{{cite news|title=Calendar of Monastic festival|publisher=Leh official website|access-date=25 December 2016|url=http://leh.nic.in/tourist/calender.html}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
! Year !! Date
|-
| 2012 || 8 December
|-
| 2013 || 23 December
|-
| 2014 || 16 December
|-
| 2015 || 5 December
|-
| 2016 || 23 December
|-
| 2017 || 12 December
|-
| 2018 || 2 December
|-
| 2019 || 21 December
|-
| 2020 || 10 December
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[Losar]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{New Year by Calendar}}

[[Category:Buddhist holidays]]
[[Category:December observances]]
[[Category:Festivals in India]]
[[Category:New Year in India]]
[[Category:Indian culture]]
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]
[[Category:Observances set by the Tibetan calendar]]
[[Category:Public holidays in India]]
[[Category:Buddhist festivals in India]]
[[Category:Winter events in India]]
[[Category:Culture of Ladakh]]
[[Category:Tibetan festivals]]
[[Category:Religious festivals in Tibet]]
[[Category:Festivals in Mongolia]]

Galdan Namchot - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 22:55, 13 August 2023