The traditions of Songkran have a long history and are still
observed
in the Thai homeland of Sipsong Panna in southwestern China, in Laos
and in northern Burma. Songkran or the Thai New Year, is actually the
occasion of the passing of the sun from Taurus into Aries. It is a
solar event and it marks the beginning of a new astrological year, and
this is very important in Thailand. Songkran day always is April 13.
The Thai New Year celebration: always is held on April 12,13 and 14
officially but an entire week will be filled with fun in Chiangmai.
The origins of the Songgran festival are ancient and have been widely
studied.Scholars are relatively certain that Songgran started with the
pre-Buddhist Dtai people, remnants of whom still live in North
Vietnam.It is inferred that songgran was originally a sort of
fertility ceremony to celebrate the new year.The modern celebration
and myth used to explain its origin were probably introduced by
Brahmin priests in the early historic periods.
The word Songgran has its origins in the Pali language of the
Therevada Buddhist scriptures.In Pali, the work Sankhara (Sankranti in
Sanskrit) means a shift of the sun from one side of the Zodiac to
another. In this case it means the movement of the sun from Aries to
Taurus.The word later became Sangkan in Thai, and then Songkran or
Songgran.
The Northern Thai people, however, have their own folklore to explain
the word and the holiday.Songgran day itself is called Wan Sangkhan
Lohng, and the day of the new year Pavenee Pee Mai. According to local
legend, Wan Sangkhan Lohng is 'the day that Lady Sangkhan passes by'
as the word Luang means to 'go away' or 'pass by'.Technically its is
the last day of the Lanna lunar year and the start of Pavenee Pee Mai.
Although Songgran is officially set of April 13th, the festival
stretches over four days, each with its different focus and
activities.
April 13th--Wan Sungkharn Lohng. On this day the people clean their
houses and engage in preparations for the new year festival.The
Chiangmai Songgran parade takes place on this day with Buddha images,
floats, contingents from the province's different districts,musicians
and local beauties in traditional costume,all of whom are liberally
drenched by the spectators as they march.
April 14th--Wan Nao. On Wan Nao people prepared cooked meals and
preserved food of the Buddhist merit-making activities that occur the
next day.This is also the day that people go down to the river and
gather buckets of sand which are used to construct molded sand chedis,
decorated with flowers and paper streamers, in temple courtyards.This
practice is an old practice intended to raise the level of the temple
grounds.
April 15th--Wan Payawan. On this day the new year begins with early
morning merit-making at the temples where the people offer preserved
and cooked foods, fresh fruits,robes and other offering goods to the
monks.Traditionally this was the day when gentle water play began but
this has developed into the aquatic free-for-all that stretches across
the entire festival.