Songkran in Thailand

Songkoran is known the world over as an annual water throwing festival in Thailand. In fact, it is a celebration of the traditional Thai New Year which officially falls on April 13. The date of the festival was originally not fixed and was set yearly by astrologer.

Traditionally, songkran refers to the time when the sun moves from one zodiac sign to another and the move is interpreted as the beginning of a new year.

The Thai New Year had been set for April 1 up until 1940 when the government changed the New Year day to January 1 to coincide with the western calendar.April 13 was the fixed as songkran day and a public holiday. Later government proclaimed April 13 “Family day” and “elderly people day” and extended the holiday to cover April 13 to 15.
So nowadays water throwing has become the main and the only activity many people can think of when referring to songkran. It is, however a wrong interpretation of the festival, traditionally, the essence of the festival is to make merit, to pay respect to parents and elderly people and to extend kindness to other beings including animals. Before the festival beings preparations for merit making are made. At home, Buddha image arranged on the altar table are cleaned and sprinkled white with Thai perfume mixed with white clay. On April 13, people go to temples to offer food to monks and bathe Buddha images at the temple. Another merit-making activity is carrying sand from the river bank to the temple ground. It is believed that when we visit the temple we carry away some sand on our shoes on the way out. Songkran is the time the sand is replaced.

In many areas sand can be found on river banks so people go there to get bucketfuls of sand and carry them to the temple. Sand is them piled up and decorated for fun using small colorful flags. These sand piles are called “ sand stupa” sometimes a competition is held for the most beautiful decorated sand stupa, collecting sand for the temple is a subtle means of maintaining the temple itself. Sand is often washed away during the rainy season. Therefore, it is needed to fill the temple ground or mix with concrete for contraction work on the temple. Water throwing is originated from the way Thais pay respect to parents and elderly relatives by pouring scented water on their hands. Jasmine garlands are also presented to them as a token of love and respect. In return, the elders will bless the younger people with luck, happiness and prosperity. Among people of the some age, throwing water is a way to extend kindness to others and to wish each other a happy year.

The Thai people celebrate this festival with water. Everyone gets soaking wet and since it is the hottest season of the year, the custom is quite refreshing. Songkran is a Public Spring Cleaning Day, supported by the religious belief that anything old and useless must be thrown away or it will bring bad luck to the owner. During the afternoon of the 13th, Buddha images are bathed as part of the ceremony. In ancient days, old people were actually given a bath and clothed in new apparel presented by the young folks as a token of respect for the New Year. Until recently Thailand was almost entirely an agricultural society and this has been a perfect time to take break from the business of earning a living. The rice harvest is in, and replanting has to await the coming of the rains.

It is an old belief that the Nagas or mythical serpents brought on rain by spouting water from the seas. The more they spouted, the more rain there would be. So, one might believe that the Songkran customs of throwing water is actually a rain-making idea, but it seems that the Thais don't really bother about way they celebrate Songkran - they just do it for having a great time.