Announcement

17 January, 2022

Dear Followers of Karma Kagyu Calendar,

Tashi Delek!

We have received many questions about how is it possible that this year it is Losar Day on 2 February, when many people here and there have seen and heard something different? Is there a misunderstanding or perhaps a mistake in the calendar?

Let us clarify!

The Karma Kagyu Calendar has been calculated according to the Tsurphu calendar system since the beginning of 2019, when His Holiness Karmapa gave us this instruction. Most of the information on the Tibetan calendar, for instance, on the internet comes from the more widely used and better known Phugpa calendar. There are usually no major differences between these two main calendar systems, but sometimes there can be significant differences due to missing and doubled days and, most importantly, missing and doubled months.

This is also the situation this year.

In other words, it is rare for the day of Losar to fall on a different day according to the two main calendar systems. The last time was in 2014, and the next time will be in 2025 and 2030. And so this year.

So if you see that Losar Day is on 3 March, 2022 - that is a completely correct date, but calculated according to the Phugpa calendar system. (It will also be in the Bhutanese system this year.) If, like in our site, you see that Losar Day is on 2 February, 2022 - that is a completely correct date, but calculated according to the Tsurphu calendar system.

So they are all correct - calculated according to its own calendric system.

You can read more about the Tsurphu calendar system and its history on our website. And in our previous announcement, you can read about why and how we changed to the Tsurphu calendar system in 2019.

We hope we have clarified the issue. But if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We hope and work to ensure that the Karma Kagyu Calendar continues to benefit you all.

With love

Karma Kagyu Calendar