Butter Lamp Festival

Dates: It takes place on January 15 of the Tibetan calendar.

The Butter Lamp Festival, or Chunga Choepa in Tibetan, falls on the 15th day of the first Tibetan month. The event was also established by Tsong Khapa to celebrate the victory of Sakyamuni against heretics in a religious debate.

Various giant butter and tsampa sculptures, in forms of auspicious symbols and figures, are displayed on the Barkhor Street in Lhasa. By nightfall the street is brightly lit with thousands of lamps made of butter in an intriguing assortment of designs. People keep singing and dancing to pray for blessings throughout the night.