Shoton Festival of Tibet, China
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Shoton Festival of Tibet, China, is begins by the 30th day of the 6th month and continues for five days, of the Tibetan calendar. Also known as Yogurt Banquet Festival, this is one of the biggest festivals of Tibet. There are several opera performances and fairs held during the Shoton festival.
The yak race held during the Shoton or Yogurt Festival is attended by thousands of Tibetans residing in China. The yak race is generally held in Lhasa, which is the capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
In Tibetan language, the meaning of Shoton is "sour milk banquet." The festival is also known as "Tibetan Opera Festival" or "Buddha Exhibition Festival," as during this time several operas are staged along with the exhibitions of Buddha paintings. The festival starts with exhibiting the paintings of Lord Buddha followed by yak racing, displaying of horsemanship, opera shows, and gala parties.
During the festival, the Buddhist Lamas go out of the monasteries. They are offered Sour Milk by the local people, who also perform operas to entertain them. They seek the blessings of the Lamas in this manner. Thousands of people gather to witness this grand festival which begins with the exhibition of the Qamba Buddha accompanied by the lamas playing sutra bugle.
