Chotrul Düchen, also known as Chonga Choepa or the Butter Lamp Festival, is one of the four
Buddhist festivals commemorating four events in the life of the
Buddha, according to
Tibetan traditions.[1] Chotrul Düchen closely follows
Losar, the Tibetan New Year. It takes place on the fifteenth day of the first month in the
Tibetan calendar during the full moon (Bumgyur Dawa). The first fifteen days of the year celebrate the fifteen days during which the Buddha displayed miracles for his disciples so as to increase their devotion.[2] During Chötrul Düchen ("Great Day of Miraculous Manifestations"), it is believed that the effects of both positive and negative actions are multiplied ten million times.
To commemorate the occasion, Tibetans make lamps, traditionally of
yak butter, called
butter lamps, in the shapes of flowers, trees, birds, and other auspicious symbols. They also create elaborate displays for the lamps in their homes and in public spaces, sometimes erecting structures as large as a building. All the lanterns are lit in celebration on the fifteenth day of the month.[3]