How Russia celebrated Buddhist New Year (PHOTOS)
Ethnic peoples practicing Buddhism celebrate not only the official New Year on January 1, but also their own, the date of which is calculated according to the lunar calendar.
Sagaalgan in Zabaykalsky Krai.
Sagaalgan in Zabaykalsky Krai.
This is the day of the first spring new moon and the farewell to winter holiday, the ‘White Month’. Buryats call it ‘Sagaalgan’, the Tuvinians – ‘Shagaa’, the Kalmyks – ‘Tsagan-Sar’ and the Altaians – ‘Chagaa Bayram’.
Sagaalgan in Irkutsk
Sagaalgan in Irkutsk
In 2025, the ‘White Month’ holiday fell on March 1 for the Buryats, Tuvinians and Kalmyks and was celebrated on February 8 in Altai. The symbol of the year 2025 became the ‘Green Wooden Snake’.
Shagaa celebration in Kyzyl, Tuva.
The main treats on this day are always white – for example, marshmallows, milk, ‘buuzy’ (Buryat steamed dumplings) and ‘boovy’ (doughnuts). It is also customary to give each other silk 'khadak' scarves.
Shagaa celebration in Kyzyl, Tuva.
It is one of the main holidays of the Buddhist peoples of Russia and it is celebrated not only in the family circle, but also by holding solemn services in datsans and then organizing city festivals for all residents.
Shagaa celebration in Kyzyl, Tuva.
In 2024, we visited the Sagaalgan Festival in Irkutsk – check out how much fun it was there!
