Tibet Traditional Saga Dawa Festival-Magic Moment 2019

Saga Dawa Festival is an influential religious festival in Tibet. Saga Dawa represents April in Tibetan calendar. Buddhism believes that Sakyamuni was born, became Buddha and died in April, so the Saga Dawa Festival mainly focuses on worshipping Buddha in the inner, middle and outer parts of Lhasa. All the activities last through the whole month. The grandest one is on April 15 when the Buddhist followers walk around the outer part of Lhasa. They recite scriptures while walking on the 8,000-metre-long outer ring of Lhasa, forming a grand troop. Passing by mulberry stoves or fires, they add cypress branches, mugwort, Chinese photinia or zamba. At intersections of roads, they will put off their hats to bow towards the direction of the Potala Palace. In the afternoon, they all get together at Zongjolukang (Dragon King's Pool) at the back of the Red Hill, where they boat, sing, dance and entertain themselves.

The festival reaches its climax on the 15th day of the fourth month in Tibetan Calendar (June 17, 2019), which is regarded as the birthday and the day that Sakyamuni entered nirvana.