229. A Not-so-Happy Tibetan New Year

Masked Tibetan Dancer. Copyright ©2012 Ruth Lor Malloy.

February 22 is Losar, the first day of the Tibetan New Year. It is a 15-day holiday, but the first three days are the most important.

Toronto’s 6000 or so Tibetans will be celebrating with a couple of fund-raisers at the Tibetan Community Centre in Etobicoke. That organization will also have a Losar Religious Ceremony (Choe-jel) which is free of charge on February 22 from 9am-1pm.

Officials of the Tibetan government-in-exile will be fasting that day in Nathan Phillip’s Square in support of the Tibetans in Tibet who are protesting Chinese rule. At least 23 Tibetans have died by self-immolation since last March. Tibetan temples in Toronto will be open for worship and to receive donations.

The Riwoche Tibetan Buddhist Temple is at 28 Heintzman St. The Karma Sonam Dargyeling Temple is now at 154 Windermere Avenue. The Tibetan Community Centre is at 40 Titan Ave, tel. (416) 410 – 5606. Its web-site is: http://www.tcccgc.org/en/ . All are welcome but speeches will probably be in Tibetan.

For our 2011 posts on Tibetan New Year, see: http://bit.ly/xoWZCB and http://bit.ly/yOnxw5 .

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