Origins of Songkran and Advice
- Khanom Scribe
- Apr 8
- 4 min read
For the first time in almost ten years, I was recently pulled over in my truck on the highway heading out of Khanom in the direction of the south. Of course, I had my driving license with me and impressed the cops with a smattering of Thai that included apologizing for the delay as I dug around in my purse for my ‘kapkee’ – the Thai word for driving license. The police were very nice and said they were doing a bit of a ‘blitz’ before Songkran. The first policeman to pull me over was not as endearing as his colleague, who had high praise for me being a farang woman driving a Bigfoot truck and that I’d shown appropriate respect and spoken his language. Thus said, I felt a bit like Songkran had started early with their presence on the roads already.
The What, the When and the Why
This year, Songkran will start on Sunday, the 13th of April through the 17th. Although, I’m sure there will be some splashing on Saturday the 12th already, simply because it is weekend. Come down to Si Yak and check what is going on in the middle of the village.
What Is Songkran?
So, ‘diving’ into the topic of Songkran. It’s often a grey area of knowledge when you first arrive here. We know it is a fun occasion where Thais migrate back home in hordes and throw water parties on the streets – literally - but there is so much more to Songkran than meets the eye, such as where did it begin and why do they celebrate this time of year?
Songkran is said to be the most important annual festival in the country and has been celebrated for centuries. It is deep ingrained in Thai tradition and culture.
Ancient History
Derived from a language called ‘Sanskrit’ that dates back thousands of years, and meaning to ‘step into’, ‘enter’ or ‘pass into’, the notion is that this festival describes the monthly movement or ‘astrological passage’ within the zodiac from one sphere to the next. Thus, in April the sun leaves the sphere of Aries and enters that of Taurus, a period known as ‘Maha Songkran’ or the ‘great Songkran’, signifying the start of the Thai New Year.
The festival is actually believed to have its origins in Hinduism, marking the arrival of spring and a new harvest season in ancient India and even though several other countries in SE Asia also celebrate this time of year, Thailand’s Songkran festival is the most popular and known throughout the world.
The 3 Key Days for Songkran and What To Do
The three key days for Songkran are actually the 13th, 14th and 15th but can go on for up to a week in some places.
Day One – the 13th – Time to Spring Clean
On the first day, people will spend time cleaning their homes (as those of us from the west would say, ‘spring cleaning’). They will also clean public places such as temples and schools – clearing out the bad luck of the previous year and ushering in good luck for the new year.
Another main activity is Song Nam Phra, a ritual that involves the pouring of scented water onto a temple’s sacred Buddha images. The ‘nam ob’ water will be poured over the hands, feet and maybe parts of the body, but NOT on the statue’s head. This is a big no-no in Thai culture.
Honoring the Elders
On the 14th of April, the second day, called Wan Nao, people prepare food to give as offerings to the monks and temples the following day. It is also a time to pay respect to your elders, and younger family members will prepare rose and jasmine water as well as Nam Op scented water to wash their parents’ feet with in a ceremony called Rot Nam Dam Hua. Parents and grandparents give the children their blessings in return, often with a jasmine floral garland.
Building Sand Stupas
Something fun that I personally didn’t know about, despite my 21 years here in Thailand is that in some villages and towns, people make sand stupas – known as Chedi Sai – in the grounds of their local temple as a kind of personal pagoda and a fun family way to make a spiritual offering.
Releasing Fish and Birds
I’ve also been invited along to events during Songkran where we release birds or fish for good karma. So, expect these kinds of surprise invitations from your Thai neighbours, if you are friends or on friendly terms too.
Take Food Offerings and Clothing to the Monks
15 April, the third day of Songkran, is known as Wan Payawan. On this day, a person goes to the temple to give the monks food and clothing, and the monks will bless you in return. They also often do ceremonies to impart good luck to everyone.
As mentioned before, it stretches right up to the 16th or 17th in some provinces, with the last days most likely reserved for safe travel home, after this auspicious time spent with family and friends.
Take Care During Festivities
On that note, it is advisable to wear clothing you can afford to turf out after the water fun in the streets as a lot of food coloring is often added to powder and then playfully rubbed onto your face or mixed into water and thrown onto you.
Drive carefully during these days, wear your helmet if you are on a motorcycle – and just have fun and feel blessed.
Sources:
Comments