10 days to go until Tibet's last two festivals of 2024

⚠️Important⚠️Important⚠️Important Friends in Lhasa, you're in luck! In about half a month, Tibet will welcome the last two major festivals of 2024! ✅ Fairy Festival: December 15, 2024 (Tibetan calendar: October 15) ✅ Butter Lamp Festival: December 25, 2024 (Tibetan calendar: October 25) How should you celebrate these two festivals in Lhasa? Here's a quick guide! ✅ About the Fairy Festival: The Fairy Festival, also known as the "Goddess Festival," is a traditional Tibetan folk festival, known as "Bailai Rizhui" in Tibetan. Every year on the 15th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar, from 5 am, thousands of Tibetans from all over the region hold khatas and barley wine to worship the highest protector of Jokhang Temple, the auspicious goddess and Songtsen Gampo statue, placed in the courtyard of Jokhang Temple, to joyfully welcome the annual "Fairy Festival." 👉🏻 Recommended places: Jokhang Temple, Muru Temple (visit Jokhang Temple first, then Muru Temple) ⚠️ Tips: ① On this day, you can queue up with Tibetans to enter Jokhang Temple without buying a ticket or making a reservation, but you cannot enter the inner hall, only the courtyard of Jokhang Temple. ② This is the only day of the year when the frog-faced goddess (Bailamu) reveals her true form. ③ On this day, men show special respect to women and give them gifts or money. Even if a woman you don't know asks you for money, you should give her something (so remember to carry some small change). ④ Men should eat curry rice on this day. ✅ About the Butter Lamp Festival: The Butter Lamp Festival commemorates the passing of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school. On this day, all monasteries and villages of this sect light butter lamps inside and outside the monasteries and in the prayer halls of their homes, which burn day and night. 👉🏻 Recommended places: Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Ramoche Temple, Jokhang Temple ⚠️ Tips: ① Ganden Monastery, as the main temple of the Gelug school, is the most visited by Tibetans. However, Ganden Monastery is 70 km from Lhasa, so if you have a car, you can go there. ② The most recommended place in the city is Sera Monastery, which is relatively close and convenient to get to. In addition to the Tsokchen Hall, there are also two other halls (debating courtyard) where lamps are lit, so don't forget to visit them. ③ You can usually only watch Jokhang Temple from outside the security checkpoint. ④ Remember to bring a few lamps to pray for your family. ⑤ Lamps are usually lit before dark, so remember to bring a warm coat.