Gyalpo Losar 2026: Tibetan New Year celebrated on February 17

Exam-focused facts from the 19 February 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Gyalpo Losar 2026 falls on February 17 and marks the Year of the Fire Horse.
Known as the "King's New Year," Gyalpo Losar is the most significant New Year for Tibetan, Sherpa, and other Himalayan communities.
The term "Losar" means "New Year" in the Tibetan language and follows a lunisolar calendar.
On the eve, families share guthuk, a nine-ingredient stew with dough balls that symbolically predict fortune for the coming year.
The first day begins with monastery visits, hoisting new prayer flags (lung ta), and exchanging the greeting "Tashi Delek."
Essential festive foods include khapse (deep-fried pastries) and dresi (sweet buttered rice with raisins and nuts).