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What does one do on the Songkran Festival
The entire festival is four days long, starts from the
13th of April and ends on the 15th April
of each year and can be divided into parts. The Songkran
is celebrated over a period of four days. On the
first day, the Thais houses clean and wash their
houses; this day is considered important for doing good
deeds. People visit temples for listening to Dharma
(spiritual recitals), they also give alms to monks.
On the second day of the festival called Wan
Nao (Cold Day), people carry sand to the temple
compounds for building pagodas. These sand piles are
supposed to represent personal pagodas as a significance
of a merit-making ritual. Most people take with them the
temple dust while leaving every year. Taking of sand
into the temple during this festival is symbolic of
atonement for what has been taken from society. On this
day, they also prepare food that is to be offered to the
monks in a religious ceremony the |
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Even Police Officers are not safe
from the waters which are splashed through out
the whole course of the Festival. |
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next day.
On The third day is the actual New Year's Day, it
is called the Wan Payawan. Traditionally the
Thai’s visiting the temple on this day and present food
and clothing to the monks. On this day, there is a
ritual of bathing the image of Buddha with
jasmine-scented water. On the last day of the
festivities, children pay homage to their elders and
ancestors, by pouring water gently over their hands and
shoulders, with a recitation of New Year blessings and
chants.
Important information about the Songkran Festival
The festival of Songkran mixes the traditional religious rituals
with fun of spraying wate r
on each other. The festival is celebrated throughout Thailand
though in Bangkok it happens on a much larger scale, many
tourists also take part in the festival here.
The festival is celebrated in Bangkok, in the Bang Sai Royal
Handicraft Center in Ayuthaya, and Chiang Mai. The traditional
rituals start in the morning at SanamLuang ground in front of
the Grand Palace.
The Khaosan Road is however, one of the liveliest places to be
during this festival. The water throwing fun activities begin in
the afternoon, so if you want to join in or avoid it choose your
time of venturing out accordingly.
During the Songkran festival, the Thai’s clean their houses, in
a gesture of purification for bad deeds done throughout the
year. Contrary to the traditional rituals, feasting and giving
of alms on this day the festival has rather been turned into a
fun thing with more of water splashing madness in the fore.
During the festival people put flags on the sand pagoda for
bringing luck and as a reverence.
In the Thai Buddhist temples statues are brought out in the
open-air so that worshippers can sprinkle water on them.
On a refreshing note, the festivities ensure that there is no
traffic jams in the city as most people leave for their rural
homes.
History of the Songkran festival
This is one of the most important and loved festivals of
Thailand, it alos happens to be one of the most awaited
festivals through out the year.
The word Songkran, indicates the entry of the sun into the
particular Zodiac sign of the Aries. The complete name of the
festival is Maha Songkran. Simply put this is the traditional
Thai new year that time of the year when Thai’s observe all
their traditions and most of those working in the city go back
to their rural homes. It is alos one of the more famous
festivals that tourists take part in and enjoy too.
The festival begins on the 13th of April and ends on the 15th
April. Actually, the Songkran is a celebration of the vernal
equinox similar to other festivals in the entire South East
Asian region like that of Christian Festival of Easter, Indian
Holi Festival or the Chinese Ching Ming.
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