Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year)
तामु ल्होसार
New Year celebration of the Gurung (Tamu) people of the Gandaki Province hills. The Gurung follow a 12-year animal cycle calendar and observe Lhosar with traditional dance, music, and feast.
When
December–January
Gregorian (approximate — lunar dates shift yearly)
Nepali month
Poush
Bikram Sambat calendar
Duration
3 days
Tourist appeal
Medium
Indigenous · Hills
Tamu Lhosar is the Gurung indigenous New Year, celebrated on the full moon of Poush. Gurung communities in Lamjung, Kaski, Syangja and Kathmandu gather for the Ghatu dance (a ritual performed by young girls in a trance state) and traditional rodhi (community youth hall) singing. The occasion reinforces Gurung identity in an increasingly urbanised Nepal.
Traditions & rituals
Ghatu ritual dance (young girls in trance state)
Traditional rod, tungna (string instrument) and damphu music
Community feasts with raksi (home-distilled spirits)
Gurung traditional dress (gunyo cholo, dhaka)
When does Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) fall this year?
Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) is observed in the Nepali month of Poush, which corresponds to roughly December–January in the Gregorian calendar. Most Nepali festivals follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar, so the precise day moves each year. Use our converter to map any Bikram Sambat date to the Gregorian calendar.
Nepali date converter (BS ⇄ AD) →Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year), answered
Common questions about the date, duration and meaning of Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year).
When is Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) celebrated?+
Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) falls in December–January — the Nepali month of Poush in the Bikram Sambat calendar. Because most Nepali festivals follow the lunar calendar, the exact Gregorian dates shift slightly each year.
How long does Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) last?+
Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) lasts 3 days.
What is the significance of Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year)?+
New Year celebration of the Gurung (Tamu) people of the Gandaki Province hills. The Gurung follow a 12-year animal cycle calendar and observe Lhosar with traditional dance, music, and feast.
Who celebrates Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) and where?+
Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) is primarily a Indigenous festival, celebrated mainly in the Hills.
Other festivals of Nepal
Sources & data note
Festival dates follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar and shift each Gregorian year; the approximate Gregorian months reflect the typical recent range. Cultural details on Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year) are sourced from the Nepal Tourism Board and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.