“Happy Songkran Day” or in Thai “Suk San Wan Songkran”!
The Songkran Festival is to celebrate the Thailand New Year according to the Luna or Solar Calendar. It is celebrated in many other South East Asian Countries including Laos, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam’s Tai ethnic community, Dai people from China’s Yunnan Province, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India. Songkran is derived from the Sanskrit “Sankranta” meaning “a move or change”. In this case the move of the Sun into Aries. Thailand’s Songkran is celebrated as the traditional Thai New Year from the 13th – 15th April every year. The 13th April is Maha Songkran Day, regarded as the beginning of Thai New Year. On 1st April 1889, Songkran or Thai New Year was set as the Thai New Year by King Chulalongkorn or Rama V. Later in 1940, Thai New Year was changed to 1st January.
Water Pouring is a symbolic way of washing away all of the unfortunate happenings in one’s family’s life. This is simply clean water mixed with scented water called “Nam Ob” when celebrated in this traditional manner. Hence, Songkran is considered a time for cleansing all misfortunes and welcoming a new year with a fresh start. Songkran falls on the hottest time of the year in Thailand. The “scented water” represents coolness and purity. It used for cleansing or bathing Buddha images at household shrines and temples. This is called “Song Nam Pra”, meaning bathing Buddha images. It is also very important to pour scented water over the palms of elders. Elders can be family members, teachers or other respected people. This called “Rod Nam Dam Hua”. The ritual is meant to be a greeting to the elder, asking for forgiveness by using scented water to pour over his or her palms. In return, elders will give their blessing.
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