This year, 12th January will be celebrated as Sharchop Losar or Chunyipa Losar. However, it appears that this is not just the new year’s day for central and eastern Bhutan, but for Bhutan as a whole.

Historical records show that the Founder of Bhutan, Zhabdrung Namgyel observed this day by returning to Punakha (he was more a travelling ruler) and having his subjects visit him and pay homage and tributes. It is said that the three-way staircase of the main entrance to Punakha Dzong was built to welcome the three regional governors called the penlops on that day. Zhabdrung also made all state appointments while also greeting other lesser regional leaders and their retinues as they paid tribute to him. Thus, the day was referred to as buelwa phuewi nyim, which is poorly translated as traditional day of offering.

Astrological significance

This day falls on the first New Moon after Nyilo – a traditional Bhutanese holiday, and in the month when the Moon meets with the Cancri constellation. In the older Lama Gongdue (བླ་མ་དགོངས་འདུས་) – a terma teaching revealed by Sangye Lingpa (1340-1396), the month is considered as the first month of its calendar year. This was probably the calendar prior to the adoption of the official Buddhist calendar followed in Bhutan. The celebration of New Year on this day in central and eastern Bhutan is thus more local, and more traditional Bhutanese.

According to Bhutanese scholar, Karma Phuntsho (PhD), Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal was a serious follower of Terton Sangay Lingpa’s teachings and incorporated rituals such as the Lama Gongdue into the ritual curriculum of the Central Monastic Body. And this may also be the reason why he marked the day as the day of accepting tributes and a day of celebration with his people.

Why do Tibetans celebrate the New Year a month later?

The Tibetan New Year’s day, which comes a month after, coincides with the Mongolian New Year known as Horda (ཧོར་ཟླ་), which the latter instituted as their calendar – to mark the day of victory over the Tangut Kingdom by the first emperor, Genghis Khan.

After Gushri Khan (1582-1655) invaded Tibet in 1641, the Horda became the Tibetan calendar and thus the Mongolian New Year day was celebrated as the Tibetan New Year. Furthermore, Gushri Khan was referred to as Chogyal (Dharma King). And thus this Losar (New Year) was also referred to as Gyalpoi Losar (རྒྱལ་པོའི་ལོ་གསར་) – King’s New Year. Older folks in Bhutan would be familiar with this term

In essence, the Dawa Dangpi Losar has neither any auspicious significance to Bhutan, nor any important astral reasons. As Dr. Karma Phuntsho adds, it is even odd that we celebrate it as the main Losar, which is a legacy of Mongol rule over Tibet.

Let’s celebrate Chunipa Losar as our New Year

In sociological studies we say that repeated behaviour becomes a habit. A habit embraced by a mass becomes a culture. A culture repeated periodically becomes a tradition. So, we can institute some new traditions, and retrieve some older ones, around this Day, so that over time it consolidates as the Bhutanese New Year.

First of all, call it Bhutanese New Year!
As someone trained in sociolinguistics, trust me, vocabulary matters. To continue with the misnomer Sharchokpa Losar would do no good.

Second, making appointments, promotions and pay raises:
Following Zhabdrung’s tradition, new and important appointments could be made on this day. Promotions and bonuses can be declared on this day.

I am not limiting this invitation to the government only. That would take time. I would rather invite our private sector, and companies to do that. Pay the bonuses and give a salary raise on this day. Why not? As I said, if we all do this every year it would become a tradition. Employees all over Bhutan would be eagerly waiting for this day – and a whole new industry can come up on this just like the red envelope tradition in East and Southeast Asia.

Third, PIT Day. No one likes taxes but as a cliche goes, it is the only sure thing in life besides death. So, why not do it on the eve of this day? Why not celebrate it? Why not file your personal income tax with a prayer that your few ngultrums take this country an inch forward and benefit as many sentient beings? Make it a happy moment to pay your taxes. It is all in the mind.

Fourth – make it a Day of Offering:
Most importantly, as Buddhists, it can be the day of offering to your root-lama and to the gompas you visit, astrologers you consult and places you revere. Just as our forefather did to Zhabdrung, we can do it to the lamas of our time. As we believe in Bhutan, such offerings will “clear your obstacles for this life, and help you accumulate positive merits in your next”. And so, why not start the year with a bang.

Above all, make it a tradition in your own family to meet – and, again, to paraphrase a local saying, “meet and eat one meal together”. If not, WeChat is there.

Happy Bhutanese New Year!