Losar (Tibetan New Year) Schedule 2012: Year of the Water Dragon

February 16 - 24, 2012

We invite you to join the Sangha of KTC to our nine day Losar (Tibetan New Year) chanting activities and celebration.

The dates of the chanting practices are listed below. To confirm starting times for chanting, please call close to each event (845-297-2500).


February 16 & 17 (Thursday & Friday) 1:00 pm | Druptab, the extended version of the Six-Armed Chadrupa practice
These extended Mahakala prayers are performed to clear away obstacles for the new year. The practice of Gönkar (the practice of White Mahakala) will be inserted.

February 18 (Saturday)
8:30 am | A traditional Tong Chö of 1,000 butter lamps, 1,000 bowls of saffron water and 300 bowls filled with rice, incense and flowers will be offered, accompanied by chanting of the Chenrezig practice.
10:00 am | Monlam Choga, followed by the Short Shitro Practice
Chanting of the Monlam Choga (Prayers of Auspiciousness), a practice of offering and aspiration prayers compiled by Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche. This is followed by the short liturgy of Shitro (Peaceful and Wrathful Deities), a profound practice from the cycle of teachings and meditations of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. We dedicate this practice to the deceased in order to purify negativities, avert obstacles in the bardo, and establish a connection with the deities that will ripen in future lives.

February 19 & 20 (Sunday & Monday) 10:00 am | Tsendring, the extended version of the Protector Bernachen practice
These extended Mahakala prayers are performed to clear away obstacles for the new year.

February 21 (Tuesday) 3:00 pm | Chiblu Practice inserted inside Daily Mahakala Practice
Chiblu is a practice for averting death.

February 21 (Tuesday) 5:00 pm | Sür, Evening Fire Offering Ceremony
Sür (evening fire offering ceremony) is an offering to the 4 guests: the Buddhas & Bodhisattvas; Protectors; sentient beings; and those with whom we have karmic debts. It averts obstacles and sickness and is dedicated to those who are dying, beings in the Bardo, and to beings with whom we have karmic debts.

February 22 (Wednesday) | Losar Day
5:30 am | Welcome in the New Year with the traditional playing of instruments and offering of katas (offering scarves).
6:00-8:00 am | Morning Tsokpa
Includes Tara and Medicine Buddha.
10:00 am | Traditional Long Life Prayers and prayers for gathering auspicious conditions for the new year.  These include Gönkar (White Mahakala Practice), Ngasol, and Yangu. Tea and dresi (ceremonial rice) will be offered to the assembly during the chanting.
1:00 pm | New Year's Dinner
If you would like to join us for our annual dinner, kindly RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

February 24 (Friday) 10:00 am | Sang, Morning Fire Offering Ceremony
Sang is a special morning purification fire ceremony. It is an offering to all worldly gods and the 4 guests: Buddhas & Bodhisattvas; Protectors; sentient beings; and those with whom we have karmic debts. This practice pacifies war, encourages peace and averts sickness.  It also creates merit and concludes the year-end chanting by purifying any remaining obstacles.

There are many ways to participate in these auspicious activities. During all of these dates, the shrine room is open to the public. Everyone is welcome to join us for any amount of time. Additionally, it is possible to sponsor the chanting.

For those who wish to sponsor the chanting, donations can be made towards meals, fire offering ceremonies, or the tea served during the chanting. General contributions towards these special practices are also welcome. Be sure to include a prayer with your donation which will be read aloud to the assembly.

You may make your donations on-line or simply mail your tax-deductible contribution to:

Kagyu Thubten Chöling
Attn: Office
245 Sheafe Road, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590.

Please make checks payable to Kagyu Thubten Choling or KTC. For credit card payments, fax your credit card number (VISA or MasterCard only), along with the expiration date and signature and the amount you would like to charge to (845) 297-5761. For your protection, please do not email your credit card information.

As we are not able to check email during chanting events, please send your prayer request and sponsorship information 48 hours before the first day of chanting to guarantee that we receive it in time to announce your prayer. If you are not able to do that, please leave a short but clear message of your prayer on  845-297-2500  and we will do our best to have your prayer announced. 

There is no charge for attending the chanting but reservations are required one week in advance if you plan to join us for meals and/or need overnight accommodations. Please see General Information about Events at KTC below for details. Please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are joining us for meals only.