MAINHolidays
Thai New Year, Songkran Festival 2023
Songkran
(สงกรานต์)
is the traditional Thai New Year water festival which starts
on April 13 every year.
The word
Songkran comes from the Pali language of the Therevada Buddhist
scriptures (Sankhara) and the Sanskrit word (Sankranti)
for movement or change.
It's water, water everywhere -- during Thailand's annual Songkran festival.
In ancient
times, it was celebrated as a moveable feast, and set to occur
as the sun moved into the Aries
portion of the zodiac. In modern times the date has been fixed
as April 13. This year, Songkran festivities begin on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Although
the Thai people officially changed the New Year to coincide with the Western custom of January 1, the
traditional Songkran Festival is still celebrated in April as a national
holiday in Thailand.
The festival
lasts for 4 days.
The Songkran
Festival shares some similarities with the Holi
festival in India celebrated around at the same time. One
custom that Songkran shares with Holi is the releasing of
small fish back into the rivers and steams. In Thailand, small
birds may also be released from cages as part of the festivities.
While
in India the throwing of colored water marks Holi, the
Thai Songkran Festival involves throwing clear water - and
lots of it! - although many add colored powders and scents
to the water in playful "water
wars."
Songkran history & customs
Decorating for the holidays: Families
take great pride in creating the holiday
sand pagoda during Songkran.
The tradition
traces back to the pre-Buddist rituals of spring festivals
where the throwing of water was meant as a symbol of luck
to bring good rain for the crops.
It later evolved into
the religious custom of cleansing the statues of Buddha once
a year. In many places there are parades with the statues
of Buddha and as the parades pass, crowds shower the Buddha
with water.
While water is its main symbol, sand is another important part of the Thai tradition duriing the festival. In many temples people
bring sand to symbolically replace the sand that they have
carried away on their sandals throughout the year.
Sand pagodas for Songkran called phra
chedis sai are also decorated with colorful flags and flowers as part
of the New Year festivities. And local temples usually organize a family competition with prizes given to the best looking sand pagodas!
The foods
that are served at traditional Songkran Festivals depend on
the part of Thailand you visit. Pad Thai Noodles; Khao
Chae, a delicious rice dish; Gaeng
Kiew Wahn Gai, chicken with green curry; krayasad,
a mixture made from puffed rice, oats, peanuts and Thai noodles
that is sweetened with palm sugar and coconut syrup; Kanom
Tom, sticky rice and mung bean balls piled high into
a pyramid shaped dessert and Kanom
Krok, coconut rice pancakes are some of the more universal
Thai foods enjoyed during the Songkran festival.
More about Songkran New Year festivities around the Web:
Songkran
History and Origin
- Check out an entertaining explanation of the history of the
Songkran Festival with all of the traditions and modern day celebrations.
Songkran
Festival
- With many resources and pictures this site gives a good look
at the modern Songkran holiday. Temple fairs and religious
activities are covered, along with some statistics on the problems that
the water throwing has brought about with drivers and visitors
from other lands...
Thai New Year Recipes - If you are planning a Songkran
festival of your own, or just feel like having some delicious
Thai food for dinner...these recipes cover the meal from salads
and appetizers through desserts.