Thailand Songkran Festival - Traditional VS Modern

Songkran marks as Thai traditional New Year which  falls  on April 13 – 15  in a year. Songkran means “movement” or “changing” according to Thai astrology, the sun will move into a new sign of the Zodiac.  Songkran is also known as the “Water Festival”.

Picture : http://songkran.tourismthailand.org

Water is believed to flow and wash away all bad omens.  Thus, it is a time for cleaning; houses, villages, temples and spirit houses. It  is  a great  opportunity  for making merit, cleaning house, cleaning Buddha image, cleaning house spirit.  It is also a  special time for Thai  people to have fun with their relatives and friends such as dancing, playing traditional music, playing games, and other activities during long holiday.

There  was  an  interesting  Thai  folk  story  connected  with  the  Songkran  Day. It tells  now  there  once  lived  in  a  certain  village  a  extraordinary  boy  by  the  name  of  Dhanapala. He  was  born into  a  very rich  family, and  was  extremely  intelligent and  kindhearted.

He  even  knew  the  languages  of  animals  and  could  understand  the  humming  of  bees  and  the  songs  of  the  birds. People  had  great  respect  for  him  and  his  fame  spread  far  and  wide  until  it  finally  reached  the   ears  of  a  rather  strange  but  powerful  God. This  was  Kapila  Brahma, the  god  with  the  four  faces, who  could  see  four  directions  all at  once. Kapila  was  a  conceited  god. He  could  not  bear  to  think  that  there  was  anyone  so  intelligent  and  kind  as  to  command  the  respect  of  so  many  people. He  felt  that  people  had  begun  to  place  more  faith  in  Dhanapala  than  in  himself. This  he  did  not  like  and  would  not  tolerate. o­ne  day  he  came  down  from  heaven  and  challenged  Dhanapala  to  answer  three  questions: “ Where  is  the  person’s  glow  in  the  morning ? Where  is  it  at  midday ? Where  is  it  in  the  evening ? ” The  stakes  were  high: if  the  boy  could  answer  the  questions, Kapila  would  offer  his  own  head  to  him; if  he  could  not, then he  would  have  to  give his  head to Kapila as a trophy for  his  triumph. Dhanapala  accepted  the  challenge  and  promised  to  find  the  answers in  seven  days. Six  days  passed  by  and  Dhanapala  could  find  on  answers, but  he  was  helped  by  some sympathetic deities, who  transformed  themselves  into  eagles  and  discussed  the answers to the riddles within earshot of Dhanapala. By listening to their conversation, Dhanapala  discovered   the  answers  to  Kapila’s  riddles. The  answer  is  that  in  the  morning  a  person’s  glow  is  in  the  face, because  people  always  wash  their  faces  in  the  morning  to  greet  a  day. During  the  day, when  the  weather  is  hot, people  bathe  themselves, splashing  water  over  the  chest, so  at  midday  the  glow  is  in  the  chest. In  the  evening, coming  home  from  work, the  wash  their  feet  before  going  up  into  the  house. Thus  in  the  evening  the  glow  is in the  feet. In  a more  abstract  but  meaningful interpretation,  in  the  morning  we  must  put  on  a  cheerful  face, beginning  the  day  on  the  right  foot; during  the  day  we  must  wear  a  brave  heart  to  deal  with  the  business  of  the  day; in  the  evening  when  we  come  home  from  work  we  must  be  able  to  wash  our  feet, that is, let  go  off  the  day’s  activities  and  great  our family  with  a  cheerful  demeanor. Kapila  lost  the  bet  and  was  therefore  compelled  to  cut  off  his  head  according to their agreement. Before fulfilling  his  promised, however, the  unfortunate  Brahma  proclaimed:“ I  am  a  very  powerful  god. If my head  is  dropped o­n the ground, the  whole  world  will  burst  into  flames. If  my  head  is  thrown  into  the ocean, the  ocean  will dry  up  immediately. And  if  it  is  thrown  up  into  the  air, there  will  be  no  rain  for  seven  years.” To  avoid  this  catastrophe, the  god  Kapila  ordered  his  seven  draughts to  take  turns  carrying  his  head  in a  big  golden  bowl, each  for  a  period  of  one  year. So  the  Songkran  day  marked  the  occasion  when  kapila’s  head  changes  hands – and  the  year  changed  too!

Songkran  Festival Folk Story Source : http://blog.eduzones.com/yimyim/3347

Picture : http://www.watmetta.nl

Traditionally, Thai people will get up early in the morning and go to the temple to make merits by offering foods to the Buddhist monks, listen to the Dhamma Speech, released animal especially birds and fish. After that they will sprinkle scented water on the Buddha images and perform bathing ceremony to monks, and novices in the temple. The young will visit their parents and the elders to pour scented water over their elder's hands asking blessing and wish them good health,  happiness, and prosperity. This tradition of paying respect, is called “Rod Nam Dam Hua”. Thai people believe that water will wash away bad luck, and splashing water over the elders, friends or anyone will give them a New Year blessing.

Picture : http://www.thailand-travelonline.com/

Nowadays, the young people will focus on fun and water-throwing over friends and strangers rather than on the festival's spiritual and religious aspects. Splashing water will help to relieve the heat as April known as the hottest month in Thailand (temperatures might be over 40°C).

Some people will have fun on dancing, drinking, eating, playing sport, playing games.

The popular Songkran celebrated destination is Khao San Road in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khao Niaw Road in Khon Kaen, Pattaya Beach, Phuket

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Journey Quote :
“I am no longer afraid of becoming lost, because the journey back always reveals something new, and that is ultimately good for the artist.” ― Billy Joel