The 1st day of the 12th lunar month is celebrated as New Year’s Day according to the custom of the ancient land of Zhang Zhung. In 2026, this date coincides with January 19th on the Western calendar.

This New Year’s Day, or Losar in the Tibetan language, was celebrated jointly by the countries of Zhang Zhung and Tibet as one of their most important festivals. Even after the fall of the Zhang Zhung empire, the country of Tibet continued to celebrate the “1st month of Spring ruled by the Gyal star” as the start of the New Year. However, during the period of the Mongol-backed Sakya rule of Tibet, use of the Zhang Zhung based calendrical system was ended and the celebration of the Tibetan New Year became known as The Royal New Year. The 1st lunar day of the 1st lunar month was changed to be one month later and began the Tibetan calendrical system. In 2026, this lunar day coincides with February 18th.

Still, Zhang Zhung New Year, also known as Bön Losar, Sonam Losar (Agricultural New Year) by farmers, or as Lambing New Year by nomads, continues to be widely celebrated throughout many areas of Dolpo, Nepal, India, Ladakh, and Tibet. This is an important celebration and preservation of an ancient culture. For those celebrating today as New Year’s Day it is the beginning of the Year of the Male Fire Horse.

Menri Monastery has issued an announcement that due to the recent parinirvana of His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, the New Year celebrations this year will be subdued and kept to the religious observations and without the usual entertainment.

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