The Blog of Sakyamuni Dharma Centre Malaysia: [Report] Celebration on First Day of Chinese New Year 2012

Normally the attendance at the event marking the First Day of the Chinese New Year is always low; the reason being that most of the people would have gone back to their respective home town to celebrate with their families and friends. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the attendance at the ceremony.

Ven Jampa Tsering

The first surprise we had for the day was the arrival of Ven Jampa Tsering from India to lead us in the events during the Chinese New Year period. His arrival was only confirmed very late into our planning, and in fact he arrived on the early morning of 23 Jan 2012 (i.e. the First Day of the Chinese new Year)!

We are very grateful for the kindness shown to us by Ven Jampa Tsering and also the effort made by all the Sangha Member in Khensur Ladrang for making it possible.

One of the surprise was that Ven Jampa Tsering brought with a Tsa Tsa encasing the relics of our Guru Khensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche (who recently entered into Parinirvana in July last year). Ven Jampa Tsering conducted public blessing with the Tsa Tsa. We felt so fortunate to be able to be blessed by such an holy and precious object on the start of the new year.

Ven Jampa Tsering holding the tsa tsa encasing Rinpoche's relics

We started the celebration by performing a simple light offering ceremony, then following by Guru Puja and Tsog Offering.

After that, we hang prayer flags.

Then, it was followed by the Tsampa throwing ceremony, (it is particularly known in that regard for its use in New Year celebrations by the Tibetan community, where it is accompanied by chanted verses expressing the desire for good luck in the forthcoming year, for both oneself and others).