Children's bookstore in Lhasa hosts Ngari-themed costume party for Losar

A children's bookstore in Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region, recently hosted a Tibetan costume party themed around the traditions of Ngari prefecture, drawing dozens of children and parents for a weekend cultural celebration ahead of Losar, the Tibetan New Year.

The event, hosted by Nornor Children's Bookstore, featured Ngari-style Tibetan costumes, gorshey circle dances, performances on a traditional Tibetan lute, and Shon dance presentations. Children also sampled Ngari snacks, learned about regional customs, and made Tibetan-style necklaces.

Founded in 2017 by Tashi Tsering, Nornor Children's Bookstore focuses on early childhood education and Tibetan-language reading. Over the past eight years, it has organized trilingual reading sessions and cultural activities for children under six, published more than 50 Tibetan-language picture books, and produced over 200 free audiobooks.

"This is the fifth year we have held the Tibetan costume party," Tashi said. "We hope children can learn about Losar traditions through interactive activities."

According to Tashi, the current Tibetan calendar year is the Year of the Horse. During Horse years, many Tibetans traditionally undertake pilgrimages around Mount Kailash, also known as Mount Gangrinpoche, in Ngari prefecture. The symbolic importance of the year led organizers to select Ngari as the theme.

Parents attending the event said the celebration helped their children better understand Tibetan culture, language, and customs while strengthening their connection to their heritage.

The bookstore said it will continue organizing cultural and reading programs to promote Tibetan language learning and traditional culture among young children in Lhasa.