Stay indoors on the 13th of April - if you
happen to be in Thailand. Or step out if you love water... and getting wet!
For
it's a given that you won't escape the water pistols, the water balloons and
buckets of water as the Thais celebrate Songkran, the Thai New Year. Songkran
festival is also known as Thailand water festival, celebrated with fervor and
zeal in Thailand’s cities.
'Songkran'
(from the Sanskrit word Sankranti, signifying the sun's shift from one zodiac
to another) heralds the beginning of the solar year and is the most important
festival for the people of Thailand.
The
festival is celebrated over three days, 'Mahasongkran' on the 13th of April
marks the end of the old year, Wan Nao (14th April) is the day after and April
15 is Wan Thaloeng Sok when the New Year begins.
Sonkgran
is akin to the Indian festival of Holi and the Chinese festival of Ching Ming.
Though it is celebrated all over Thailand with great gusto and enthusiam, it is
in Chiang Mai that the Thais hold the very important ritual of bathing the
Buddha and people from all over come to be witness to this event.
On
Thailand New Year's Day, Thais pray to the Buddha, clean temples and houses,
offer alms to the monks and sprinkle scented water on elders as a mark of
respect.
The
pouring of water is symbolic of the cleansing of the spirit, mind and body. The
water is also supposed to wash away bad luck - so consider yourself blessed if
you get drenched!
Happily,
Songkran falls during the hottest time of the year and the water is a welcome
relief.
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