Songkran: New Year
April 13th of every year is regarded as “Maha Songkran” or “มหาสงกรานต์” in Thai, the day that the sun moves into Aries on the zodiac or the last day of the old year. Therefore “Songkran” is the Thai New Year celebration, which is a significant event in Thailand's cultural calendar. It is held annually from April 13th to 15th, which is the hottest time of the year in Thailand. Songkran is a time when Thai people come together to celebrate the beginning of a new year, as well as to pay respect to their ancestors, elders, lords, monks, and Buddha images.
Top: Bathing ceremony; Bottom: pier in summer, in flood season the water level would be right at the floor
For the past few decades, The Thai government has been promoting Songkran as a cultural event, and it is now celebrated not only in Thailand but also in other parts of the world where there is a significant Thai community. Therefore the Songkran festival has become a major tourist attraction, with foreigners coming to Thailand to experience the water splashing festivities. Common people, young and old, gather on the streets to douse each other with water using water guns, buckets, and hoses; while nobles and royalty are occupied with ceremonies, rituals, and visitations as part of traditional duties and responsibilities.
Top: Flower-scented water and chalk; Bottom: (right) Pouring water on elders hands to show respect, (right) Pouring water on Buddha image is considered a venerable act
According to my elder, the water part of the ceremony/festival has been a tradition for a long time. Initially, the family would bathe together at the pier as the festival fell on the hottest time of the year. However, it became too difficult for older family members to handle as most parts of the pier were too steep and the water level was low during summer. So the young men and women would helped the older people, and this became a tradition of pouring water on older people. Then, the young men and women as rowdy as they were started playing and splashing each other, with water basins and buckets, creating a playful atmosphere. This has become a tradition of water splashing. As the years passed, the tradition evolved into a water fight, especially for commoners (since they do not have any official duties or ceremonies to attend unlike nobles and royalty during the festive holidays), which is now a major part of the Songkran festivities.
The act of paying respect to monks and Buddha images, as mentioned earlier, is done by pouring water over them. However, pouring water over the Buddha image was a later development, as it was originally only performed by the monks. Initially, the monks used to bathe in water at the pier, as mentioned in the Monastic Code. Later, when canals and waterways were turned into roads, it became impossible for the monks to bathe at the pier. Therefore, people began filling up a trough with water, and then the monk would pour water over the Buddha image before soaking themselves in the trough. As people helped scoop water into the trough, the monk would encourage them to also bathe the Buddha images, considering it a venerable act.
Thai nobility and royalty are very diverse, each having unique traditions and culture based on their ancestors.
Growing up in the court, elders were highly revered since they had purer blood and held high court officials' titles and ranks. Pouring flower-scented water (I will write about the expensive and labor-intensive process of making this scented water later on another blog post) on their hands during the ceremony was the closest you could get to them. I remember one time when we went to pay respect to another family. Upon arrival, I saw the grandchildren gathered together, and the matriarch laid on a patio bed while her descendants helped bathe her in the water kept in a silver basin. They also asked us to help bathe her. After bathing, the children sprinkled flower-scented water on her and gave her new garment. Note that these were high-ranking royalties, and they were unapproachable, so that was something to behold. Story aside, it is believed that the tradition of bathing during Songkran was like this before it turned into pouring water on the head. Pouring water in the hands seems to have started happening a few decades ago, which also spread to pouring water on the Buddha statue instead of bathing the entire statue or dunking it in the water.
Left: Ratchabophit Temple is a royal cemetery built by King Rama V. The young couple is carrying offerings for the monks and their ancestors.; Top Right: Examples of garments given on the day include a piece of cloth that one wears around the body, as shown in the left picture (female); An example of a garment offering for the monk who wears orange at all times
The practice of giving new garment probably emerged later as well. One of the ceremonies for noble and royal families to perform during this festival is to bring out the ashes of their ancestors and pour flower-scented water on them. This is a Buddhist ritual, with a lot of chanting by the monks and an alms/garment-giving ceremony. It has to be done every year, which is why major temples and palaces are closed to the public during this time, at least for a few hours, since most of the ashes are kept within the grounds. The Bureau of the Royal Household runs a department that keeps records of the whereabouts of all ashes, and they are responsible for taking them out to the ceremony, especially when there are no living descendants.
While the the noble and royal families have filled the schedule with ceremonies and visitations. The practice of water fighting during Songkran, goes on outside temples, estates, and palaces. It is well-known tradition enjoyed by both Thai commoners and foreigners, can sometimes result in inappropriate behavior. Water splashing is indiscriminate, and people often go beyond just getting wet by adding white chalk or other substances to the water, and even smearing it on each other. This playful behavior has become a tradition of Songkran, but it is important to be mindful of appropriateness and respect for others during the festivities.
Nonetheless, Songkran is an essential celebration in Thailand that brings people together to celebrate the new year and pay respect to their elders. The water splashing tradition is a symbol of cleansing and purification, and it has become a popular activity during the festivities. Songkran is a time for family reunions, cultural performances, and traditional games. It is a unique celebration that highlights the rich cultural heritage of Thailand.
Top Left: H.M. King Rama X and his queen are attending an ancestor worship ceremony at the Grand Palace.; Top Right: Corrected: H.M. the King is bathing Thailand's most precious treasure, the Emerald Buddha, at the Royal Temple in the Grand Palace.; Bottom: Corrected: A water fight is happening at Khao San Road (and every other roads in non-noble/royal district for that matter), just a few blocks away from the Grand Palace and Royal Temple.
