If you come across the water splashing Festival when you visit Thailand, you are undoubtedly lucky. The water splashing festival in Thailand is a great event. Do you know the origin of Thailand water sprinkling Festival? What are the traditional customs of Thailand water sprinkling Festival?
The origin of water splashing festival in Thailand
Thailand Water Splashing Festival, also known as "songgan Festival", lasts for three days on April 13 every year, which is an important festival in Thailand. The Thai water festival represents the elimination of all evils, misfortunes and sins, and the beginning of a new year with all its beauty and purity.
The term 'songgan' originated from Sanskrit, which means' striding forward 'or' striding forward ', which is consistent with the time of the lunar calendar. When the sun passes through the twelfth house of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, cancer, lion, virgin, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, etc., the absorption time of each house takes 30 days, so there are twelve houses in a year. This Lunar calculation method is affected by India, and is widely used in some Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. April 13 is the 'Maha sungan day' and the Thai new year. The sun changes from Pisces palace to Aries palace. At this time, the Earth passes through the sun at a positive angle, making the day as long as the night.
The Songkran Festival
The custom of water splashing festival in Thailand
Before the festival, people should clean their homes and burn their old clothes to avoid bad luck. During the festival, people pour water on each other to bless each other, and hold a series of celebrations, such as charity meetings, beauty contests, flower car parades, food exhibitions, cultural and artistic performances. [1] according to a bumper grain harvest, people would go to the temple to build sand pits, put colorful flags to give flowers, and pray for the best harvest. In the evening, they would sprinkle petals of perfume on their elders' arms and backs, and express their good wishes to their elders. Later, the elders will pour water on the heads of their elders, and express their blessings from their elders.
The traditional custom of splashing water means that we can wash away the past year's troubles and start a new year. Today's water sprinkling Festival is mostly fun, so when you come to Thailand, if you are drenched, don't get angry! Actually, the tradition of water sprinkling Festival is not unique to Thailand. Neighboring countries such as Myanmar and Cambodia also celebrate the festival at the same time.
The Songkran Festival
On this day, men, women, old and young will wear new clothes and take food offerings to the temple to worship monks. In the new year, the busiest thing is housewife. She is busy cleaning the environment inside and outside the house on the eve of the new year. The old clothes or things in the house are set on fire, because according to the tradition, if we don't throw away the old things or useless things, it will bring bad luck. After noon on April 13, people will wash the Buddha statues. At the same time, the young generation will pour the fragrant water on the elders and parents In the hand, it represents respect for parents and elders, and prays for blessing.
In badaya, there are some celebrations held at this time every year, such as food exhibition, flower Car Parade, beauty contest and various fireworks performances. In Chiang Mai, beauty pageants and parades will be held. It's very important to be cautious about pursuing the future in Thailand. So at this time, people will also bring their ancestors' ashes altar to the temple for worship.