GOASIAPLUS March 2018

Songkran
WHAT IS SONGKRAN
Songkran is a Buddhist festival to usher in Thailand’s
traditional New Year.
ORIGINS
Rooted in ancient India, the word Songkran is derived
from Sanskrit, meaning “Astrological Passage” or change.
The festival marks the day the sun leaves Pisces and
enters Aries, having finished its orbit around the earth. It
also marks the end of the dry season and the start of the
rainy season.
An exodus from urban centres occurs when Thais
return to their hometowns to spend time with family and
pay respects to their ancestors.
DAY 1 /
National Elderly Day when Thais pour fragrant water on
the palms of their elders and ask them for blessings. An
annual “Miss Songkran” parade and floral floats are part
of the popular festivities.
DAY 2 /
National Family Day when families give alms to monks
before spending the day together. This is an auspicious
day when people avoid uttering impolite words.
WATER ORIGINS
Traditionally, families use small bowls of water to pour
over each other for luck and good health. This has
evolved into party-like street water “fights” using buckets
and water pistols.
SAND ORIGINS
Buddhists take small bags of sand to the temple to
symbolise returning the dust they have carried away on
their feet when they visited the temple over the past year.
The sand is then sculpted into small stupas decorated
with flags in honour of the Buddha. Some temples
hold competitions which result in huge, elaborate sand
sculptures.
Thais also apply a white pasty powder on each other’s
face or neck as a sign of protection and promise to ward
off bad luck.
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