Songkran 2019
I spent Songkran 2018 traveling and witnessing the lively festivities of both Thai and foreigner in Thailand and for this year, I will do my best to observe the days based on the beautiful tradition and culture of Thailand. Songkran is well known for the splashing of water and unending parties but it is also a religious and meaningful tradition for the locals.
Day 1: The cleaning day
No pictures of locals for this day since I spent the day cleaning my own place. Thai spent a day or two in Songkran cleaning their homes, mostly on the 12th or 13th to chase away the bad lucks of the past year and to welcome the new year afresh.
Reflection for this day:
May this day remind everyone to pause and reflect. Despite all the roles we play in life, may we all find time to peel off all the layers and filters we have come to create and see our true selves. Just like cleaning up that brown wall in your room and finding out it was bright green all along. It is refreshing to be able to see ones true self.
Day 2: The Splashing
Went out to check out the activities. In Lampang, they have the splashing and the parade at the center of the city which is where the clock tower is located. The parade involves local dance performance and pouring of water unto Buddha images.
Nearby roads are closed and the splashing is everywhere. People need to be cautious during this times, as festive as it seems alcohol is still involved.
One of the main malls also held concerts for free inviting local singers, they mostly post schedules on their website but mostly in Thai. For the Northern part of Thailand, Songkran is celebrated longer since it's where Songkran originated. The 13th of April is also considered as the "Passing of Age", it's when the Thai new year starts.
Reflection for this day:
Such a colorful festival painted with the brightest of smiles and the loudest of laughters. But I do hope that the flooding flow of modernity does not wash away the true meaning of such wonderful tradition. It's a gift to still have such sincerity towards age and religion, it's one of the things which amazed me and one of the things I believe keeps us human.
Day 3: Wan Nao (The Rotten Day)
April 14, this day is a day of not saying anything bad, to only say good things to invite good luck in the coming new year. On this day, people visits the temple in the morning and in the evening they will be bringing sand to the temple to make sand pagodas. It's beleived that when people visit the temple throughout the year some of the sand sticks to their shoes and are brought out of the temple, so this day is the oppurtunity to bring back or replace those sand. There is still splashing of water in the afternoon.
Day 4: The King of Days
April 15, marks the first day of the Thai new year. In the morning people visit the temple to make merit and offerings. Then families pay respect to the elderlies of the house.
It was a simple yet a very meaningful way of celebrating Songkran. It would be more wonderful if more people, Thai or not, celebrate Songkran with joy while remembering the culture and tranditions that started it.
(I posted this so late because I didn't realize it wasn't posted.)
Day 1: The cleaning day
Reflection for this day:
May this day remind everyone to pause and reflect. Despite all the roles we play in life, may we all find time to peel off all the layers and filters we have come to create and see our true selves. Just like cleaning up that brown wall in your room and finding out it was bright green all along. It is refreshing to be able to see ones true self.
Day 2: The Splashing
Went out to check out the activities. In Lampang, they have the splashing and the parade at the center of the city which is where the clock tower is located. The parade involves local dance performance and pouring of water unto Buddha images.
Nearby roads are closed and the splashing is everywhere. People need to be cautious during this times, as festive as it seems alcohol is still involved.
One of the main malls also held concerts for free inviting local singers, they mostly post schedules on their website but mostly in Thai. For the Northern part of Thailand, Songkran is celebrated longer since it's where Songkran originated. The 13th of April is also considered as the "Passing of Age", it's when the Thai new year starts.
Reflection for this day:
Such a colorful festival painted with the brightest of smiles and the loudest of laughters. But I do hope that the flooding flow of modernity does not wash away the true meaning of such wonderful tradition. It's a gift to still have such sincerity towards age and religion, it's one of the things which amazed me and one of the things I believe keeps us human.
Day 3: Wan Nao (The Rotten Day)
April 14, this day is a day of not saying anything bad, to only say good things to invite good luck in the coming new year. On this day, people visits the temple in the morning and in the evening they will be bringing sand to the temple to make sand pagodas. It's beleived that when people visit the temple throughout the year some of the sand sticks to their shoes and are brought out of the temple, so this day is the oppurtunity to bring back or replace those sand. There is still splashing of water in the afternoon.
Day 4: The King of Days
April 15, marks the first day of the Thai new year. In the morning people visit the temple to make merit and offerings. Then families pay respect to the elderlies of the house.
It was a simple yet a very meaningful way of celebrating Songkran. It would be more wonderful if more people, Thai or not, celebrate Songkran with joy while remembering the culture and tranditions that started it.
(I posted this so late because I didn't realize it wasn't posted.)
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