Quake-hit Dingri ready for new year, new homes

On the eve of Losar, or the Tibetan New Year, the people of Dingri county in the Xizang autonomous region have more than one reason to celebrate.

While the start of a new year is associated with festivities, fun and fortune, villagers in Dingri, which was rocked by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake on Jan 7, can also look forward to embracing the warmth of new homes.

A project to reconstruct houses damaged in the powerful quake and its multiple aftershocks is scheduled to start in March and completed swiftly by October, giving the community hope for making a fresh start before the end of the year.

Drolma Tsering, a resident of Drakchang village in Dingri, said she was thrilled to hear the news about the government's expedited reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts, adding that she and her fellow villagers are eager to leave the past behind and move on.

Drakchang was one of the 27 village s in Dingri severely affected by the quake. Wang Xinli, deputy head of the county's bureau of housing and urban-rural development, confirmed the reconstruction plan.

"Depending on the number of members, each family will get a house measuring 80 square meters to 260 sq m. Other basic infrastructure, such as schools for young children and health clinics, have also been planned," Wang said.

Around 5,000 villagers, who have been living in makeshift tents in Dingri's Tsogo township since the January quake, are prepared to celebrate Losar. They have received daily necessities and festive packages from the authorities, and have rehearsed traditional songs and dances to usher in a new year.

"We've done our best to ensure that the people have enough food, water and electricity to stay warm and enjoy the Tibetan New Year," said Ngakwang Tenzin, head of Tsogo township.

He said that special assistance is being provided to the elderly, children and others in need, and teachers have been arranged to support students preparing for the new semester.

"The first Losar after the earthquake is of great importance to all of us, as it offers a chance to reset and marks a new mission and a fresh start," he added.

Meanwhile, in Lhasa, the capital of Xizang, preparations for Losar, which falls on Friday and marks the start of Year of the Wood Snake in the Tibetan calendar, are in high gear.

Locals are thronging markets to make purchases for the celebrations, which usually go on for 15 days. Stalls selling dried yak meat, yak butter, handmade pastries, candies, dried fruits and prayer flags have mushroomed everywhere.

Booming business
The Barkhor market, which is said to be the best place to soak up Lhasa vibes, was packed with shoppers eager to clinch a good deal during the monthlong annual Losar shopping festival, featuring 213 stalls, which ended on Thursday.

"Despite the presence of other markets, Barkhor remains a popular spot for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse offerings," Champa Tsering, who is in charge of the market, was quoted as saying by Xizang Commerce Daily.

This year, the Losar shopping festival highlighted an exhibition and sale of imported goods, attracting 30 merchants from South and West Asia. Exotic items such as hand-woven Nepali carpets and traditional Bhutanese handicrafts were up for grabs during the event.

Losar is celebrated on different days in different parts of Xizang due to variations in altitude and the harvesting season.

While most people celebrate Losar on the first day of the first month in the Tibetan calendar, residents in many parts of Shigatse and Nagchu celebrate it at the start of the 12th month, some in Ngari celebrate it in the 11th month, and people in eastern Nyingchi mark it as early as in the 10th month.

As 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Xizang autonomous region, the flourishing Losar economy marks a milestone in Xizang's remarkable transformation over the years.

Chungdak, a resident of Lhasa and owner of a traditional Tibetan pastry shop, said he has been doing brisk business for weeks in the run-up to the New Year, and his kasai, or handmade pastries, are almost sold out.

"In the old days, people like me mainly prepared basic pastry varieties, but now we need to make more, because more people are buying and they want more options," he added.

Sonam Gyatso, a 70-year-old resident, agreed. "The choices are many, and we can buy whatever we want."

Gyatso, a resident of Lhasa in the Xizang autonomous region, sets up traditional decorations on Thursday, the eve of Tibetan New Year.Palden Nyima / China Daily

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palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn