SONGKRAN: From Merit Making to Water Fights

By Toni Dabbs

The most celebrated holiday in Thailand is Songkran, the ancient New Year’s Day (modern New Year’s Day is January 1). Songkran marks the beginning of a new astrological year, when the sun enters the sign of Aries, the Ram.

The celebration spans four days:

Wan Sungkharn Lohng - April 12 is a day of general preparation for the New Year. People clean their houses and burn all the refuse to give themselves a fresh start for the New Year.

Wan Nao - On April 13, people prepare cooked meals and preserved foods to take to monks at the local temple or monastery the following day as a form of “merit making.”

In the afternoon, they participate in another form of merit making by dressing up and going to “raise the temple grounds,” a tradition that was necessary in the old days to keep the temple grounds above flood level. The merit makers, mostly women and children, bring sand to the temple grounds, shaping it into pagoda-like piles, which they decorate with offerings of candles, flags, flowers and joss sticks.

Wan Payawan - Early in the morning of April 14, people dress in new clothing and go to their temple, taking with them the foods they have prepared and perhaps fresh fruit and sweetmeats for the monks. The offerings are placed in the monks’ alms bowls, which have been set on a table in the compound.

Later the same day, the temples move their Buddha statues to open-air pavilions, where worshipers sprinkle them with holy water. People also give a ritual cleaning to images of Buddha in their homes.

Wan Parg-bpee - On April 15, homage is paid to ancestors, elders and other persons deserving respect because of age or position. In some parts of Thailand, religious services are held in memory of the dead or offerings are made to guardian spirits.

Younger people pay their respects to their elders by performing a tradition of purification by water. They pour scented water into the palm of an elder so that bad actions or thoughts will flow away. Or they sprinkle water onto the person while uttering wishes of happiness and good luck.

In the old days, young people actually helped old people to take a bath and brought them new clothing to change into. Some still bring towels so the elders can dry their hands.

In recent years, this gentle pouring or sprinkling has developed into something of a free-for-all. Small children now arm themselves with water guns and spray anyone who comes near. Groups of older youths ride through town in the backs of trucks, splashing buckets of water on people along the street. April is considered the hottest month of the year in Thailand, so the soakings aren’t necessarily unwelcome.

Songkran is a special time for Thai families, and people usually return to their hometowns to observe the festival. But it’s also a time for community, with friends and neighbors meeting each other in temples and other public places to enjoy the entertaining events.

Songkran 2005

Although Songkran is observed throughout Thailand, duration of festivities can vary. Here are dates for celebrations in some parts of the country:

Ayutthaya - April 13 - 15, 2005.

Bangkok - April 12 - 14, 2005.

Bang Saen - April 19, 2005.

Chiang Mai - April 11 - 15, 2005.

Hat Yai - April 6 - 15, 2005.

Khon Kaen - April 8 - 15, 2005.

Phra Pradaeng - April 18 - 21, 2005.