THE ORIGINS OF the
Songkran festival are ancient and have been widely studied. Scholars are relatively certain that the Songkran festival began with the animist Dtai people, some of whom still live in northern region of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Songkran was probably a kind of fertility ceremony to celebrate the new year. The modern celebration and its origin myth were probably introduced by Brahmin priests.
The word Songkran derives from the Pali language of the Buddhist scriptures. In Pali the word Sankhara, or Sankranti in Sanskrit, refers to the movement of the sun from one sign of the Zodiac to another, here from Aries to Taurus. The word changed to
Sangkan in Thai, and later to
Songgran (Thai pronunciation) or
Songkran (writing habit).
The Northern Thai people have their own folkloric explanation for the origins of the word. Songkran day itself is called
Wan Sangkhan Lohng, and the day of the new year is called
Pavenee Pee Mai.
Wan Sangkhan Lohng is, according to local legend, the day that Lady Sangkhan passes by, as the word lohng means to ‘go away' or ‘pass by'. Technically it is the last day of the Lanna Lunar calendar, and the start of
Pavenee Pee Mai
The festival stretches over four days with Songkran day officially set on April 13th. Each day has its different focus and activities.
April 13th -- Wan Sangkhan Lohng. People clean their houses and prepare for the new year festival on this day. The Chiangmai Songkran parade traditionally takes place on this day involving revered Buddha images from the city's temples, floats, representative groups from the various districts of Chiangmai province, musicians, and traditionally costumed beauties all of whom are liberally drenched all along the parade route by the spectators.
April 14th -- Wan Nao. On Wan Nao people prepare cooked and preserved food to be used in Buddhist merit making on the next day. On this day people also go down to the Ping River to collect buckets of sand which is used to construct mold sand chedis, decorated with cut paper streamers and flowers, in the temple compound. When demolished, the sand from the chedis raises the level of the temple courtyard.
April 15th -- Wan Payawan. On this, the first day of the new year, people gathered at the wat in the early morning to offer the food prepared the previous day, fruit, new robes, and other goods to the monks. Traditionally this was the day when subdued water play started, but this has devolved to the exuberant water throwing that stretches over the four days of the festival.
April 16th -- Wan Paak Bpee. On this day people pay respect to their ancestors, elders, or people worthy of respect due to advanced age or senior position. Scented water is poured over the hands of the individuals being paid respect who in turn bless the participants in the ceremony.
11,111monks @Samut Prakan
