As an important religious festival in Tibet, Saga Dawa is another name for the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar. According to Buddhist belief, Shakjamuni was born in the fourth month, and he became a Buddha and enter nirvana also took place in this month. During this festival, Shakjamuni is worshiped during the tours around the Shianglang, the inner circle, Barkhor, the middle circle and Linglang, the outer circle in Lhasa. On the 15th day of the fourth month, the tour around the outer circle offers a particularly spectacular sight. This ceremony begins on the first day of the fourth month and continues to the end of the month.

The Saga Dawa Festival culminates in the event on the 15th day of the fourth month. It is dated today about Shakjamuni's birth and his entrance into nirvana.