Tibetans celebrate Wood Horse Losar

Dawa Tsomo swept the streets in Lhasa after Friday evening revelry of fireworks and flaming torches as part of rituals and celebrations to exorcise evil spirits ahead of the Tibetan New Year.

Saturday marked the eve of "Wood Horse Losar" on the Tibetan calendar.

The 42-year-old has been cleaning up after Cham dancing celebrations before the eve of Losar for the past 11 years in the regional capital of Tibet.

Festival goers went out for Cham celebrations after dusk on Friday. They set off fireworks and watched dancers wearing masks of various animals and mythical figures, performing to religious music.

The streets were spotless by Saturday thanks to the efforts of cleaners like Tsomo.

"A new year is coming. Clean streets will bring happiness," said the Tibetan woman.

The Tibetan New Year, known as Losar, is the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar, which is celebrated over two weeks.

Losar is a time for family reunions. Families will feast on Tibetan food. Women make Kharbse, a popular dish made from flour and yak butter, and guthuk, a traditional snack similar to a dumpling.

Guthuk are sometimes filled with "surprises" including charcoal, wool or chillies. Someone who receives a guthuk filled with wool is described as being "good-natured", while coins or wheat mean good fortune. The food is washed down with highland barley liquor.

During the long winter, people in the plateau region stay at home. Losar is the time when people begin to cheer up. Many try to cheer up by going shopping.

A stall owner named Drotsang selling Tibetan food said he came from Damxung County, 160 km away from Lhasa.

His traditional Tibetan pastry made from butter, milk dregs and glutinous rice, sold out swiftly.

The 32-year-old farmer goes to Pargor Street to sell food before Losar every year.

The bustling Pargor (or Barkhor) is Lhasa's major commercial street. It was renovated in November.

Drotsang said before the renovation it was very difficult to find a place to set up a stall, because the street was packed with sellers and tourists.

Now, more than 3,000 street peddlers have been moved to a shopping mall by the side of the street, with 2,000 temporary stalls outside. It has boosted trade for vendors.

Dondrup Tsephel traveled three hours from Shannan Prefecture to buy goods for Losar.

He did his shopping in half a day, when last year it took days. He packed his car with decorative red scrolls, paintings, dried fruit snacks, butter as well as a new hat and clothes for his family.

"Now, I don't have to elbow my way along the bustling street to find the things I need," said the 46-year-old.

A week before Losar, the square in front of the Potala Palace in the heart of Lhasa was spruced up with an ornamental garden and new flags made of colorfully-painted Tibetan clothing, which bear meanings such as good news and good luck for the new year.