Introducing Lungta Radio
A free streaming platform dedicated to preserving and promoting Tibetan music—carrying our musical heritage on the digital wind.
Thupten Chakrishar Lungta Radio - Tibetan music streaming for everyone
It started with my wife. During one of our car rides, fumbling through YouTube while the kids waited impatiently and ads interrupted every other song, she said: “Why don’t you just put all the Tibetan songs they like on a USB drive? Or make a simple app?”
She was right. The friction was absurd—we had access to all this music, but actually playing it for our kids meant hunting through playlists, dealing with ads, and losing the moment. So I started building this simple app for us and now we are sharing it with everyone else.
What is Lungta Radio?
Lungta Radio is a free streaming platform dedicated to preserving and promoting Tibetan music. No accounts, no downloads, no ads—just open the site and press play. Traditional folk songs, contemporary pop, gorshey for when the kids want to dance, children’s songs for language learning, and devotional music for quieter moments. All in one place, streaming 24/7.
The name comes from “Lungta” (རླུང་རྟ་), the Tibetan word for wind horse—that symbol of good fortune you see on prayer flags carrying blessings across mountain passes. I liked the idea of music traveling the same way: our songs carried on the digital wind to Tibetan families wherever they’ve landed.
Why This Matters
For those of us raising children in the diaspora, heritage connection doesn’t happen automatically. It requires intention. And music is one of the most effortless ways to make it happen.
When kids hear Tibetan songs during car rides and dinner prep and lazy weekend mornings, they absorb more than melodies. They pick up vocabulary without flashcards. They internalize pronunciation without drills. They develop an emotional connection to a culture that might otherwise feel distant. Music turns passive moments into opportunities for heritage transmission.
That’s what Lungta Radio is designed to do—remove the friction between Tibetan families and Tibetan music.
What You’ll Hear
The platform includes stations spanning our musical landscape:
- Traditional folk songs passed down through generations
- Contemporary artists pushing Tibetan music forward
- Gorshey for celebrations and circle dancing
- Children’s songs for young ears
- Spiritual music for contemplation
Whether you want background music for homework time or something to get everyone dancing before a party, it’s there.
Part of Something Larger
Lungta Radio is one piece of a broader effort I’ve been working on—using technology to strengthen diaspora identity and ensure Tibetan language and culture continue thriving. From educational platforms like Genla to music notation tools like Dramnyen Notation, these projects share a common thread: building tools our community actually needs.
Listen
Visit lungtaradio.com and press play.
If you have feedback, song suggestions, or are an artist who’d like your music featured, reach out. This is a community resource, and community input makes it better.
May the wind horse carry our songs far.
Disclaimer: The insights and narratives shared here are purely personal contemplations and imaginings. They do not reflect the strategies, opinions, or beliefs of any entities I am associated with professionally. These musings are crafted from my individual perspective and experience.