Butter Lamp Festival

January 15 of Tibetan calendar marks the close of Tibetan New Year festivities. On this day, people go to temples to burn incense to worship Buddhas. As darkness falls, they will put up many stands to display the butter lamps they made themselves. The lamps are in forms of gods, figures, flowers and trees, birds and beasts, and can be burnt.

The stands go as high as three-storey buildings, even the lower ones are two-storey high. The lamps are either grand or small. The lights make the whole street bright as in the day. People sing and dance while enjoying the lamps. The Butter Lamp Festival is also called Lantern Festival.

Making Butter Figure