Saga Dawa Festival: A Spectacle of Spirituality and Devotion for Tibet, Sikkim & Others

Tibet & Sikkim are not just famed for their towering Himalayan peaks and scenic backdrop, but also for a culture that’s rich and almost like a carnival of traditions. The festivals of these two natural wonders harbour a distinct charm that displays the traditional yet spiritual allure of a life that’s there.

In this diverse tapestry of traditions, one such festival is Saga Dawa, a significant Buddhist festival that holds profound spiritual significance for Tibetan Buddhists. The festival of Buddha Saga Dawa celebrates compassion, kindness, and spirituality like no other festival. Above all, it brings travellers, mystics, monks, and cultural enthusiasts from around the world under a roof. Moreover, Saga Dawa is also celebrated in Tibet’s mystical region of Kailash Mansarovar.

For more information on the Saga Dawa festival (Triple Blessed Festival) of Sikkim, celebration, and rituals, read on. 

Everything that you need to know about Saga Dawa Festival

The Saga Dawa festival is celebrated on the fourth of the lunar month, every year, i.e, between May and June, which honours the birth, enlightenment, life events, and teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. This is one of the biggest congregations of Tibetan Buddhists, Sikkimese Buddhists, and Mahayana Buddhists, especially at Lhasa (the capital city of Tibet) and Tarboche. Also known as the ‘month of merits’, Saga Dawa is the auspicious time to donate to the needy and make a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. During the two months of this festival, pilgrims abstain from consuming alcohol and non-vegetarian food.

From lighting butter lamps to visiting monasteries and performing kora around chortens, the Buddha Saga Dawa Festival celebrates the spiritual way of life, cultural diversity, and the rich spiritual heritage of Tibet and Sikkim in North-East India. In addition to this, the Cham dance held in Lhasa and other places in Tibet depicts the life of Buddha and Padmasambhava (a Buddhist mystic).  Besides this, Saga Dawa is one of the major festivals of Sikkim, and the procession for this festival starts from Tsuklakhang Monastery, while other monasteries are decorated with prayer flags. People walk carrying the idols of Buddha, chanting mantras, and singing Buddhist hymns.

Here’s a glimpse at what this festival for Tibetan Buddhists offers:

Highlights of the festival

• Replacing prayer flags

• Lighting butter lamps

• Hanging of Thangkas

• Mount Kailash Kora/ Kailash Parvat Parikrama

• Cham dance

• Remembering Buddhist philosophy & teachings

• Gathering of monks, pilgrims, and tourists along the Tibet (especially, Kailash Mansarovar) region

• Charity

These are all the common processions that locals of Tibet and tourists around Kailash Mansarovar follow. But how is the Saga Dawa Festival celebrated? Know the key rituals & how people do it locally:

Suggested Read: Mount Kailash: The Holy Abode of Lord Shiva

Saga Dawa Festival: Best time for Mount Kailash Parikrama

Entire Tibet rejoices in the celebratory spirit of Saga Dawa, starting with the replacement of prayer flags, then the erection of a flagpole at Tarboche, performing cultural Cham dance, Kora/Parikrama around the chortens, and then walking through sacred path of the Kailash Mansarovar region. 

Tibetan Buddhists and Lamas perform a 52-km-long Mount Kailash Kora during the Saga Dawa festival after completing kora of chortens and a flagpole at Tarboche. It is widely held that performing kora around Mount Kailash during Saga Dawa multiplies the merits and liberates one from the human lifecycle. The Kailash Parikrama these days is related to spiritual awakening and enlightenment.

Here’s why: 

Well, for Buddhists, Mount Kailash is the abode of Buddha Demchock (Chakrasamvara) and the centre of the universe. It is also known as Mount Meru and Gang Ringpoche in Tibet. According to a popular belief, 13 circumambulations of the flagpole is equivalent to one Kailash Parikrama, which symbolises spiritual transformation. Hence, performing Kora around Mount Kailash during this time is considered to be highly auspicious.

Must Read: Mount Kailash Parikrama: Outer Kora and Inner Kora of Mount Kailash

Saga Dawa Festival is a glimpse of the medley of tradition and culture in Sikkim and Tibet that’s unmissable and almost a visual treat. So, if you’re interested in exploring these twin gems, we recommend you to visit two of these during the Saga Dawa festival to make the most of your journey. 

Double the acts of kindness, double the blessings! 

Check out: Sikkim Family Tour Package

Are you excited to experience sublime spirituality at Kailash Mansarovar during Tibet's famous festival- Saga Dawa? Give us a call today at +91-8510007751 and we’ll make it happen for you with zero hassle. 

People Also Ask

Q1. In which state is the Saga Dawa festival celebrated?

Ans. The Saga Dawa festival is celebrated in Sikkim and Tibet.

Q2. Why is the Saga Dawa festival celebrated?

Ans. The Saga Dawa festival marks the birth, enlightenment, and life of Buddha.

Q3. When is the Saga Dawa festival celebrated?

Ans. The Saga Dawa festival is celebrated on the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, which is May or June.

Q4. How is the Saga Dawa festival celebrated?

Ans. The Saga Dawa festival is celebrated by lighting butter lamps, replacing prayer flags, and performing kora around chortens and Mount Kailash.

Q5. Whose birthday is celebrated in Saga Dawa?

Ans. The birth and mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha are celebrated during the Saga Dawa festival.

Q6. Who celebrates the Saga Dawa festival?

Ans. The Saga Dawa festival is celebrated by Sikkimese Buddhists and followers of Mahayana Buddhism.