GreatTibetTour.com Provides Tour Package During Tibetan Shoton Festival!

Nowadays, more and more international travelers are interested in exploring the traditional Tibetan cultures and customs, as well as the amazing scenery. Here is a good chance for you to uncover the mystery of Tibetan culture. As one of the most popular Tibetan traditional festivals, Shoton Festival will be held on August 11th in this year. As a professional and reliable Tibetan local travel agency, Great Tibet Tour is making plans for customizing your Tibet tour during Shoton Festival.

During this festival, lots of ethnic songs, dances, and Tibetan operas will be performed at the Norbulingka Palace – the famous royal park in Tibet. Besides that, you can feel the strong atmosphere of Shoton Festival on the street, monasteries, squares and anywhere else.

The Origination of Shoton Festival

According to the tradition of the Gelug Sect of Buddhism, Tibetan lamas can only practice Buddhism in monasteries during April and June (Tibetan calendar) in order to avoid hurting the tiny things on the ground. After passing through this period, many pilgrims will send sour milk to lamas and perform operas for lamas as soon as they walk out of the monasteries.

As soon as the Drepung Monastery became the political, religious and cultural center of Tibet in 1642, those pilgrims all came to this monastery to seek blessings by sending sour milk and doing some activities. That is the origination of Shoton Festival.

Activities

Unveiling Thangka

The unveiling of the Thangka held at Drepung Monastery stands for the start of Shoton Festival. The portrait of Qamba Buddha will be taken to the west of the Drepung Monastery from the Coqen Hall of this monastery by hundreds of lamas as soon as the blare of horns. Then, the portrait will be opened slowly. At this time, numerous white hada will be thrown into the sky in front of this Thangka. After two hours,  the portrait will be unopened and sent back. It will be opened in the next year.

Eating Sour Milk

Shoton means sour milk in Tibetan culture. As the meaning of the word, it is a festival for Tibetans to eat sour milk. For Tibetan Buddhists, every year they will practice and improve their knowledge of Buddhism on mountains. After they finish the practice, they will go back home with their families. Their families bring much sour milk in order to enjoy it on the way to home. What’s more, they will dance and sing. When Shoton Festival begins, Tibetans will enjoy their sour milk in the park.

Performing Opera

Another famous activity is to perform operas. During Shoton Festival, you will see many traditional Tibetan operas. The operas will be performed on the second day and it will last for several days. The time for performance stars from 11:00 a.m, and ends at dusk. You can enjoy them at the Norbulingka.

With more than ten years experience in Tibet tour, we Great Tibet Tour can arrange the tour package for you during Shoton Festival. If you travel to Tibet in this period, not only can you witness the grand Shoton Festival, but also you can enjoy a big opening show of horse racing because Nagqu Horse Racing Festival is also held in this period.