February 9: Astrologers say the year of the Male Earth Rat marks the end of the Lona or the inauspicious year. The year of the Male Earth Rat is auspicious for starting new constructions, holding marriages and celebrations, and setting up new business ventures.
Here in Thimphu, at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, the first baby of the Male Earth Rat year was born at 3:36am on Friday, February 8.
When day broke and people woke up to a bright new day and a new year, the Losar celebrations started. The kingdom ushered in the year of the earth male rat with celebrations, prayers and gratitude.
Across the kingdom, the Bhutanese family got together to rejoice in festivities, further cementing the bonds that have kept the fabric of Bhutanese society alive and strong.
The altars in Bhutanese homes looked resplendent with offerings made exclusively for the new year, an offering to pay gratitude for the good of the year that went by and a prayer to seek the blessings for a happy year ahead. With lush home cooked meals and dishes prepared specially for the day, the feast will continue. Children wore their new year best.
The young and the old, friends and family joined in games ranging from Khuru to archery. Far flung sons and daughters traveled for days to spend the New Year with their parents. The young paid their respects to the old. The old reposed their confidence in the youth. Mother nature blessed the day with the glory of sunshine.
The bond of community was strengthened as neighbors exchanged their Losar offerings. The faith in the dharma was further consolidated as Bhutanese visited temples to make offerings and prayers.
The people of Bhutan celebrated Losar in the backdrop of peace and tranquility that has prevailed in our nation. This year we will pay our tribute to our monarchs for ensuring our well being and sovereignty.
The year will also make our kingdom a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy. It is a historic year indeed. And on the first day of the Earth male Rat year, Losar, a day of festivities and celebrations, we also paid our deep gratitude to our monarchs, for extraordinary leadership and vision, unprecedented reforms and above all, ensuring ours and our kingdom’s well being and sovereignty.
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