Tibetan Saga Dawa Festival 2020

There are trips, and then there are trips of a lifetime. If you are looking for a life-altering experience instead of just a simple vacation, Tibet Mount Kailash is the place to be. Pilgrims from around the globe make their way to the base of Mt. Kailash to join and celebrate a grand and significant Buddhist festival - Saga Dawa Festival. They come together to pray peace and goodwill for both human nature and all other creatures everywhere. The Saga Dawa Festival 2020 will be held on 29th, May. Now you can start plan your Tibetan Saga Dawa 2020 tour! Read on this article to get more details.

Part 1. Where Does Saga Dawa Festival 2020 Celebrate
Part 2. What Does Saga Dawa Festival 2020 Celebrate
Part 3. How Does Saga Dawa Festival 2020 Celebrate
Part 4. Advised Tour Routes for Saga Dawa Festival 2020

Part 1. Where Does Saga Dawa Festival 2020 Celebrate

During the Saga Dawa month, almost every monastery and religious site in Tibet celebrate this festival. We list the most popular Saga Dawa Festival hold places here for your reference.

1. Mount Kailash – Prayer flags, kora and rituals
2. Lake Manasarovar – Swan spotting, religious walk, holy dip and others
3. Lhasa – Fish liberation, rituals and others
4. Dzongyab Lukhang Park – Afternoon picnic
5. Lingka – Gathering for song and music performances

Part 2. What Does Saga Dawa Festival 2020 Celebrate

Tibetan Saga Dawa Festival is held to commemorate and worship the life of the Buddha. It celebrates the three most vital parts of his life: his birth, nirvana, and his death.  Literally meaning “Fourth Month,” the Saga Dawa is an event celebrated in the fourth Tibetan month, throughout the entire month. It is considered one of the most religious ceremonies in Tibet. 
The Buddha is said to have asked one of his followers not to adore him with mere lights, incense, and flowers. Rather, after his death, he hoped his followers would adhere to his teaching of being kind, compassionate, and loving in life. This is why during the festival, many of the attendees hand out alms asking the crowds of people to be peaceful and not to kill animals.

Part 3. How Does Saga Dawa Festival 2020 Celebrate

Saga Dawa is known as the “month of merits.” During this time, it is believed that the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied. So believers perform meritorious acts, such as making pilgrimages to sacred places. During the Saga Dawa month, pilgrims make their way to Lhasa and visit the monasteries while taking part in a walk through the Lingkhor path. If you are lucky enough to experience the Saga Dawa festival 2020, you can also have lunch in the Dzongyab Lukhang Park where you can witness thousands of Buddhist followers who have traveled a long way to look out over the mountain and commune with other pilgrims from across the world.

Colorful flags and ceremonial garb adorn the festival with something happening from sun up to sun down. Each year, a new prayer flagpole is erected at Mt Kailash during the festival. Once the flagpole reaches 25 meters, people throw ground barley powder to bring themselves good luck. Then some in attendance will begin their “kora,” or their sacred hike around Mt Kailash. Others will instead make 13 circles around the flagpole, the equivalent to one kora.

Part 4. Advised Tour Routes for Saga Dawa Festival 2020

The Saga Dawa Festival held on the way to Mount Kailash pilgrimage is the most grand and traditional one. We recommend the 15 Days trek tour for Mount Kailash in Saga Dawa Festival 2020.
This trip starts from Lhasa, through Gyantse, Shigatse, visit Mt. Everest Base Camp, proceed northward to Saga, then arrive at Mount Kailash, and finally go back to Lhasa. Along the way, you will visit the Potala Palace, Johkang Temple, Barkhor Street, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery in Lhasa and around, Lake Yamdrok in Shannan, Pelchor Monastery in Gyantse, and Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. Then go to Ngari to witness Lake Manasarovar, participate in the Saga Dawa Festival, and do the Mount Kailash kora.