Kailash Mansarovar Parikrama With Saga Dawa Festival 2025: Dates, Celebration, & Things Not to Miss

Ever imagined a pilgrimage could be significant to diverse faiths? Kailash Mansarovar Yatra weaves together culture, spirituality, and faith that’s worth experiencing once in a lifetime. 

Every year during Mahashivratri, a huge crowd of Lord Shiva devotees throngs to Kailash Mansarovar to receive the blessings of Mahadev. Similarly, Tibetan Buddhists and other followers of Buddhism also visit Kailash Mansarovar during the Saga Dawa festival, one of the biggest festivals for Buddhists, and one of the spiritual tours in Tibet, when Kailash Yatra goes in full swing and becomes more auspicious!

When you’re in Kailash, it’s more like immersing yourself in a multicultural atmosphere that perfectly tunes with sublime spirituality.  If you’re a devotee of Lord Shiva and a cultural enthusiast, Saga Dawa Festival 2025 is the best event to experience this fusion! 

Read this blog to know everything about this mega Buddhist festival in June 2025.

What is the Saga Dawa festival?

The Saga Dawa festival is one of the most famous festivals in Tibetan Buddhism, celebrated on the full moon day of the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. In 2025, Saga Dawa festival will be celebrated between 28th May to 25th June, spanning almost a month. 

Observed to celebrate the three most holy events: the birth of Lord Buddha, his enlightenment, and the death of Buddha Shakyamuni, so the Saga Dawa festival holds great importance for Tibetan Buddhists worldwide. The Tibet pilgrimage 2025 is mainly celebrated in Tibet and the North-Eastern parts of India, such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Ladakh. 

When will the Saga Dawa Festival be celebrated in 2025?

Date of the festival: 28th May- 25th June, 2025

Grand festive celebration: 11th June

Places where it is celebrated: Tibet (mainly), Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Ladakh

History and significance of Saga Dawa Festival 

Saga Dawa festival is celebrated in the Kailash Mansarovar region for a couple of months, i.e, between May to June, which is known as Vesak (the month of Vaisakh), a time to imbibe the teachings and philosophy of Buddha. Also known as the ‘festival of merits’, Saga Dawa is the most propitious period to perform good deeds. The erection of a flagpole at Tarpoche symbolizes the blessings of God in Tibet. Also, there is a significant ritual performed by Tibetan Buddhists under the guidance of a Tibetan Lama. One can spot several prayer flags in Tarpoche and Lhasa. On the auspicious occasion of the Saga Dawa festival, Buddhists make a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, the abode of Buddha Demchok (Chakrasamvara).

Furthermore, they abstain from non-vegetarian food and alcohol as an act of purification, wherein they prefer eating fruits and vegetarian meals throughout the regional cuisine. Since it is the month of merits, Buddhists prefer to have a sober lifestyle. Among the most unique rituals that the Saga Dawa festival celebration includes, Kailash Kora or the Mount Kailash Parikrama comes first and is the most sacred. However, before performing the Kailash Kora, they circumambulate Jokhang temple, Potala Palace, Ramoche temple, and Yaowang Mountain. 

How is the Saga Dawa festival celebrated in the Kailash Mansarovar region?

The Saga Dawa festival, celebrated in Tibet’s Kailash Mansarovar region, is one among the most significant festivities observed in various monasteries, Buddhist temples, chortens, and in proximity to Mount Kailash. People uplift the flagpole, practice mantra chanting, pray to Buddha, and perform the kora around chortens.

Excited to know more about it? Read the key highlights of Saga Dawa celebrations here:

Exciting things to do during the Saga Dawa festival

Flagpole erection at Tarpoche

Pilgrims usually visit Tarpoche (the flagpole) during this festival to erect a 30-meter prayer flagpole along with a thangka carrying Buddha’s image to celebrate the birth, Nirvana (enlightenment), and death of Buddha Shakyamuni (mahaparinirvana). Tibetan Buddhists circumambulate this venerated flagpole clockwise, before performing the parikrama of Mount Kailash. 

Experience festivities in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet 

You can enjoy the celebrations of the Saga Dawa festival in Lhasa, when the entire city comes alive with a festive fervour of Saga Dawa and draws millions of pilgrims in the spirit of celebrating Buddha’s life and teachings. Lhasa’s famous Jokhang Temple, Lingkhor, and Barkhor street are all soaked in the joy of celebrating this holy event. Lamas spin the prayer wheels on their way to Kailash Mansarovar.

Parikrama of Mount Kailash and chortens

Mount Kailash Parikrama is another most significant ritual performed during the Saga Dawa festival. However, only after the Tarpoche’s flagpole parikrama is completed, Lamas and participating pilgrims perform Kailash Kora, a 52-km-long parikrama of Kailash. There are two types of Kailash Parikrama- inner Kora and outer Kora. Pilgrims also perform the kora of chortens, a Buddhist shrine and monument. Check more about Kailash Kora 2025 here.

Visit Buddhist temples and Monasteries

Tibetan Buddhists typically spend time at monasteries and Buddhist temples during festivals. The famous monasteries to visit are Tsurphu and Drigung Til, Chiu Gompa, Serlung, Tashilunpo, Dirapuk, and Zuthulpuk. Lamas perform folk dance, which is known as Cham dance, donning colourful robes. They remember the teachings of Padmasambhava, or the Guru Rinpoche. 

Practice charity

Saga Dawa festival is also known as ‘poor people’s day’. It is a day to accumulate merits by donating to the needy, as it brings good fortune. People offer food, clothes, and water to the needy during the month of the Saga Dawa festival in Tibet.

Mantra Chanting 

Tibetan Buddhists perform mantra chanting in the chortens and monasteries, such as Om Mani Padme Hum and other prayers. Some also prefer reciting Buddhist scriptures and teachings.

Significance of Kailash Mansarovar Parikrama during Saga Dawa Festival

Mount Kailash is said to be the abode of Buddha Demchok (Chakrasamvara) and the centre of the universe. Tibetan Buddhists believe that performing one single kora (parikrama) of Mount Kailash during the Saga Dawa month helps in burgeoning the spiritual merits or fruits of goodness.

The merits of 1 parikrama around Mount Kailash are increased manifold as compared to any ordinary day. There are many prostration points on the way to Kailash, such as Chaktsalkhang (the south face of Kailash is visible from here), and Kangnyi chorten. The parikrama of Mount Kailash symbolises spiritual transformation, renunciation, and liberation from the human lifecycle. Additionally, it’s said that 13 circuits or circumambulation of the flagpole is considered equal to 1 Kailash Parikrama, hence, offering the same positive outcome or bliss. 

Check out our Kailash Mansarovar Parikrama 2025 package to celebrate the festivities of Saga Dawa and perform the parikrama of Mount Kailash.

How can I book Kailash Mansarovar Yatra with Trip To Temples?

Step 1: Visit the official website of Trip To Temples and log in to your account 

Step 2: Click category title ‘Kailash Mansarovar’ & pick your preferred plan

Step 3: Go to ‘Explore’, proceed, and check the seat availability calendar

Step 4: Choose an available date, then add your details: name, email, mobile number, gender, DOB, etc 

Step 5: Add the details of your co-travellers (if any). Booking up to 6 co-travellers only

Step 6: Click the ‘Proceed to Pay’ option and apply your Coupon Code (if any).

Step 7: Pay the Registration Amount/Full Amount and accept the T&C

Excited to witness this grand festival of Saga Dawa in 2025 along with Kailash Mansarovar Yatra? Hurry! Grab your seats now by calling us at +91-8510007751.