Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Year of the earth rat


The celebration of Losar, Tibetan new year, sets in by throwing flour up in the thin air of the Himalayas - here in Langtang, Nepal in 4000 meters altitude.

The upper Nepal is home to many ethnic Tibetans, who’s families migrated here several hundred years ago. And down in the capital Kathmandu, thousands of more recent Tibetan refugees are living or passing through on their escape route from Chinese occupation. Tonight, with the full moon, two weeks of new year celebrations are now over and we are all officially in the Tibetan year 2135, the year of the earth rat. Happy new year!

Photographed on February 7th 2008 (Gregorian) © Morten Svenningsen, Photojournalist, Nepal