Saturday, March 5, marked the beginning of the Tibetan Year of the Iron Hare. Traditionally, this day of Losar is spent in joyful celebration.
Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in New Delhi was no exception.

The festivities started in the morning, when everyone gathered in the lhakhang (shrine room) for the traditional Losar puja, which includes the offering of a mandala (symbolic universe) in front of a representation of the Buddha, the offering of katas (silk scarves) to the Buddha and the present lineage masters, and the chanting of prayers.
Lodreu Rabsel Rinpoche, the General Secretary of the Gyalwa Karmapa's administration, young Chime Rinpoche from Ladakh, Karmapa's private tutor Prof. Sempa Dorje, as well as numerous monks from Rumtek monastery presided over the ritual.

They were joined in their prayers by many lay devotees from East and West alike. Tibetan butter tea and saffron rice with nuts and raisins were first offered on the thrones of the lineage holders and to the present Rinpoches and lamas and then shared out to all the devotees.

At lunch, a delicious buffet awaited the more than 200 guests in the festively decorated dining hall of KIBI, and everyone participated in the cheerful feast.

In the afternoon Gyalwa Karmapa, who had only just got back from Hong Kong, joined in the celebration. He was received in the courtyard by the Rinpoches, lamas, monks and nuns and escorted into the temple. The traditional offerings of butter tea and saffron rice were presented to Gyalwa Karmapa, and the next two hours were spent in an informal exchange on various dharma subjects.
At the end, everyone queued up to offer a kata to Gyalwa Karmapa and receive his blessing.

Mandala offering on the morning of Losar