Ulaanbaatar
Lunar New Year to fall on February 27
PoliticsUlaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ “The first day of Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian Lunar New Year meaning White Moon) will fall on Monday, February 27”, informed Gandantegchenling Monastery, center of Mongolian Buddhism, corresponding to confusion among the public that the first day of Tsagaan Sar might be on January 28, a claim made by astrologer M.Namsrai.
It means this year’s Tsagaan sar celebration will begin nationwide on February 26 with the long-kept traditions of Bituun (New Year’s Eve) when the moon can’t be seen.
The year of the Rooster, the upcoming Lunar year will be smooth and calm, ensured N.Amgalan, Secretary of the Gandantegchenling Monastery.
Mongolia follows the lunar calendar simultaneously with the solar calendar thus celebrating New Year twice a year. A more long-standing and traditional approach to New Year, Mongolian Tsagaan Sar falls on different days of February each year depending on the lunar horoscope.
The exact dates of Mongolian Tsagaan Sar don’t always correspond with those of other Asian nations as Mongolia follows the Tibetan calendar methodology, which also results in different identifications of the first day of Tsagaan sar by various astrologers in Mongolia. However, the country accepts the date determined by Gandantegchenling Monastery which encourages the public to avoid confusing claims by random astrologers who don’t follow the state-approved calendar methodology.
