"Tsagaan Sar - White Month" New Year Holiday by Lunar Calendar

“Tsagaan Sar – White Month” New Year is celebrated by Mongols according to the lunar calendar. For more than 2.000 years Mongols have been celebrating “Tsagaan Sar – White Month”, to mark the end of winter and the beginning of spring. This three-day holiday usually occurs in late of January or in February.

As “Tsagaan Sar – White Month” is observed according to the Lunar Calendar the actual date varies from year to year. Each year of the 12-year cycle of the Lunar Calendar is named after one of 12 animals: Rat, Bull, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Cock, Dog and Pig. After a month of preparation Mongols celebrate Tsagaan Sar with three days of feasting with their families.

Tables literally groan with food. Families traditionally kill the fattest sheep in the flock and then display the boiled lower back and tail throughout the holiday. In addition there are a great variety of milk products, and Buuz (beef and mutton dumplings). Mongolians are very hospitable people. Visitors are expected to try every dish tip a few glasses with the host. Toasts are usually made with mare’s Airag (horse fermented milk) or Shimiin arkhi (vodka), distilled from fermented cow’s milk.

Guests have chance to observe how people are preparing for New Year: cleaning, cooking National Dinner, sewing so on. In the morning get up earlier greeting with each other symbolizing respect to old people. Visit to eldest people's house expressing respect for them and greet with them. Talking about nice things as a symbol of good deeds.

Sports competitions, traditional song festivals and other events follow the celebration. At this time monasteries are full of people, usually wearing new Deel (traditional gowns), praying and blessing Lord Buddha. Horseracing and wrestling, and National Performances for joy are has accepted for all people. This wrestling competition is second biggest competition for the wrestlers, after the Naadam Festival Wrestling.

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Naadam Festival - Nationwide Holiday

This big Nationwide Holiday begins by; rein the Nation Nine-leg White Flag into the Stadium, the center of competition. And Mongolian President opens the Opening ceremony. The Naadam festival, celebrated each summer on 11-13th, July, originated many centuries ago as a test of courage, strength, daring, horsemanship and marksmanship, all necessary for a nomadic people and warriors. The largest celebration is held in Ulaanbaatar beginning on July 11. National Performances of songs, dances are performed for all Mongols. For visitors, it is nice opportunity and only time to get familiarized with Mongolian culture. People are served with Barbeque lunch/dinner with their family in outdoors.

Herdsmen (arats), many from distant places, converge on the city to view and take part in horserace and wrestling and archery competitions, the three mainly manly games.

Mongolian National Wrestling contests at Naadam. Involving 1.024 or 512 wrestlers for 2 days in 9 rounds in national wrestling costumes. As there are no weight classes and 16 contests are held simultaneously, the competition progresses quickly. Before the contest wrestlers perform an Khangardi – Legend eagle dance to limber ups and displays their fine physiques. Each wrestler has a second who acts as a coach and herald to announce his charge’s heroic deeds. The techniques used in Mongolian wrestling are not limited and include a variety of holds, throws and other moves. The contest ends when a contestant’s knee or elbow touches the ground. This competition is the biggest competition for the Mongolia wrestlers. During this competition the wrestlers haves the chance to enhance they title. Last titles are impossible, if completed the needed rounds: Avarga - champion, Arslan – lion, Zaan – elephant, Nachin – hawk.

Archery contests continue a tradition dating from the time of Chinggis Khaan when they were intended to sharpen military skills. Contestants use compound bows fashioned from sinew, wood, horn and bamboo, and strung with bull tendon. Men fire 40 arrows made from willow branches and griffin vulture feathers from a distance of 75 meters and women deliver 20 arrows from 60 meters at a target consisting of 360 small leather rings to a wall. In accordance with ancient custom, several men stand on either side of the target singing a folk song (uukhai) to cheer the contestants and then use hand signals to indicate the results.

Horseracing is the favorite sport of the herders who bring their best horses from great distances. Totally more than 1800 horses, divided in 6 age groups take part in races, which take place on the steppe over distances from 15 to 35 kilometers, are a test of endurance for the horses and riders, boys and girls, some as young as six years old. Children jockeys sing worshipping songs (giingoo) for horses loudly. The races are organized according to the age of the horses. Mare’s milk is poured over the heads of the winning horses that are also honored with songs.

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