How to Travel to Tibet during Illumination Festival

Illumination Festival is a religious festival especially celebrated for Master Tsongkhapa – a great reformer of Tibetan Buddhism and the founder of Gelug Sect. On October 25th of Tibetan calendar, all the monasteries and Tibetan families would light up the butter lanterns all night.

How to Travel to Tibet during Illumination Festival - Celebration

According to Tibetan Buddhism, light worship and fire worship are both as important as the merits and virtues of giving alms. When you light up a butter lantern, you light up your wisdom.

Illumination festival is held on October 25th every year of Tibetan calendar to be in honor of Tsongkhapa - a great reformer of Tibetan Buddhism. On this day, followers will chant sutras, crawl, and light the butter lanterns to pray the intelligence, peace and happiness.

By 20:00 in the evening, more than 6000 butter lanterns in Jokhang Temple will be lighted up while follower gathering here. They will be very devout to walk around Jokhang Temple clockwise while chanting the sutras and turning the prayer wheels.

How to Travel to Tibet during Illumination Festival - Tips

Before we participate the Tibetan Illumination festival, we'd better get to know something about Tibetan Buddhism and the founder, Tsongkhapa. You may see a lot of people showing their respect to the Buddha on this day.

Well, butter lantern is certainly very necessary to get on this day. When we hear the voice from the Johkang temple, we could light up our butter lantern with other believers together, in the corner, on the roof, etc...

On the other hand, it is better to travel with your families during Illumination. The belief is so strong that could help you make a good wish for your families and protect the people you love.

If you travel with your kid, or wife together, they may enjoy the brightly scene in the evening very much.