Songkran Procession
This month we’re gonna party like it’s 2552
April 13th marks the beginning of Songkran, or Thai New Year. Songkran is a three day celebration that commences on April 13th and ends on April 15th. The date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculation. Nowadays, the dates of the celebration are fixed. Songkran occurs during the hottest time of year in Thailand, at the end of the dry season.
Long since a deeply rooted tradition, Songkran has been modified over the years to embrace modernity. Until 1888, the Thai New Year was the beginning of the year in Thailand; thereafter, April 1st was used as the defined start of the calendar year and this lasted until 1940. From 1940 to current, the Thai calendar begins on January 1st, but Songkran is still celebrated on (or around) it’s traditional astrological timeframe. A festival with roots steeped in respectful tradition found a way to be quite a blast as well. Waterfight anyone?
Water-throwing: a Songkran tradition
What is Songkran all about?
The most popular and obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. The Thai people take to the streets armed with containers of water or water guns and douse eachother. It’s a nationwide water fight.
It is uncertain whether water-throwing began as a way to cool off during this sweltering time of year, or as a symbolic gesture to what is at Songkran’s traditional roots. Some say that waterthrowing originated as a way to pay respect to people, by gently pouring a small amount of lustral water over other people’s hands or over a shoulder as a sign of respect. But, as you can see, get the youth of Thailand involved and Songkran becomes an all out H20 throw-down.
Songkran Traditions
Along with the fun there is also a sincere and sacred element to Songkran. Thai’s use this time to go to wat (temple). Several events at wat celebrations focus on respecting elders, as well as the bathing of the Buddha shrines.
In Chaing Mai, all of the Buddha’s images from the cities important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can douse them with water mixed with a Thai fragrance. Doing this is believed to bring good luck and prosperity during this time of renewal.
In Northern Thailand, people bring back a handful of sand to the monastery to replenish what they have carried away on their feet over the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles and decorated with colorful flags.
Songkran stupa sculpture
‘Stupa’ is a sanskrit word and loosley translated it means ‘pile’. As you can see by the image above; These are hardly piles of dirt, but, meticulously crafted works of art.
Thai Talk
The traditional greeting is “สวัสดีปีใหม่” (sa-wat-dee pi mai), basically “Happy New Year”. “Sawasdee” = also used for “hello” or “goodbye” (Romanized spellings may vary, i.e. “sawadee” or “sawasdee”). “Pi” = year. “Mai” = new. Or “สุขสันต์ปีใหม่” (suk-san pi mai), “Suksan” = Happy.
However, most people use “สุขสันต์วันสงกรานต์” (suk-san wan songkran) – meaning “Happy Songkran Day” – since “pi mai” is more often linked with the first of January. “Suksan” is also used as an attribute for other days such as “Valentine’s Day” (“สุขสันต์วันแห่งความรัก”, suk-san wan haeng khwam rak) = Happy Valentine’s Day.
Songkran in Arizona
(presented here as a review of this years activities and a tip for the future. Stay tuned to MaleesThaiBistro.com for updates for next years festivities. We’ll let you know when it’s coming back around.)
AT WAT PROMKUNARAM
(Buddhist Temple of Arizona)
17212 W. Maryland Avenue
Tel. (623)-935-2276
Saturday April 11th, 2009
9 am
- Open the Songkran Festival Day.
11 am
- Offering food to monks.
- Thai classical dancing.
- Thai Music.
- Miss Songkran contest.
- Various thai Foods are available for sale.
- Kor Pharajedee sai (Sand Pagoda Building).
3 pm
- Ceremonial Bathing of the Buddha statue, monks, and respected elderly.
5 pm
- Chanting & Practice Meditation.
Sunday April 12, 2009
10 am
- Chanting Buddhist lay people pay respect to the Triple Gem and observe Precepts and arms Bowl offering.
11 am
- Lunch offering to the monks.
1 pm
- Monks perform chanting in dedication to deceased people.
- Ceremonial bathing of the Buddha statue.
Songkran at Malee’s
We’ll hold off on drenching you with a bucket of water in the lobby, instead, at Malees On Mainstreet we will be using this time of renewal to bring in new tastes and flavors for our bar.
Tyler is crafting new exciting cocktails with a Thai twist. We will also begin carrying Thailand’s #1 domestically produced branded golden spirit; Mekhong. We’ll tell you all about it in next Monday’s post. Until then, Sa-Wat-Dee Pi Mai.
