Tsagaan Sar 2018
Every year, Mongolie celebrates Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year. It's an opportunity for the Mongolian people to gather as families to mark the end of winter and the beginning of a new cycle.
Every year, Mongolie celebrates Tsagaan Sar, the lunar new year. It's an opportunity for the Mongolian people to gather as families to mark the end of winter and the beginning of a new cycle.
This year, the "white month" begins this Friday, February 16th. This family festival spans three days and starts on the first day of the new light year to bring joy and warmth during this winter season that can sometimes feel endless. Tsagaan Sar can be celebrated between late January and early March depending on the year and the lunar calendar.
Celebrating Tsagaan Sar in Mongolie
In Mongolie, celebrating the "white month" is an opportunity to gather as a family around a feast prepared with mutton and dry biscuits (Shiniin Idee). Everyone wears their finest clothes and honors family members.
The first evening of festivities, called Bitum, corresponds to New Year's Eve. Like our New Year's Eve celebration, Bitum is a very festive evening during which Mongolians engage in games, dance and sing together in harmony.
On the morning of Tsagaan Sar, everyone dresses in new clothes. Men go for walks across the plains while women prepare the finest dishes. Visits then begin, followed by welcoming rituals between the youngest and oldest family members. During these greetings, pale blue or white silk scarves are sometimes exchanged as a way to express mutual respect.
The third day is devoted more to visiting friends or distant relatives. The festivities can extend for several more days.
Tsagaan Sar Announces Spring
This festival of the new moon holds a very important place in Mongolie. It marks the end of winter and consequently the arrival of spring, a symbol of renewal, births, and the return of dairy production and pasturing.
Every celebration and ritual is performed to ensure that the coming year will be prosperous and begin under the most auspicious circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Tsagaan Sar, literally 'white month', is the Mongolian lunar new year. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It's the most important festival in Mongolie, celebrated as a family over three days with feasts, rituals and visits among loved ones.
Tsagaan Sar follows the lunar calendar. Its date varies each year between late January and early March. In 2018, the festival began on February 16th.
Bitum is the first evening of Tsagaan Sar festivities. It corresponds to Mongolian New Year's Eve: a festive evening when families gather, play traditional games, dance and sing together.
During Tsagaan Sar, Mongolian families prepare a traditional feast composed mainly of mutton and dry biscuits called Shiniin Idee. Other dishes such as Buuz (steamed dumplings) are also essential.
Yes, it is possible to attend Tsagaan Sar in Mongolie. Certain specialized travel companies like Nomadays offer cultural trips that allow you to experience this festival alongside Mongolian families, particularly in yurts or in Ulan Bator.
