Songkran Festival - What it is about

Many of you might have heard about Songkran. It is the biggest and most important festival in Thailand. But why do Thais celebrate the new year in the middle of April? How do they celebrate it? How long does it last? What are the traditions and customs? These and other questions will be answered in this article, so let’s dive in!

What is Songkran?

Songkran (สงกรานต์) is Thailand’s new year’s national holidays. It is celebrated from April 13 to 15 every year. The word Songkran comes from the Sanskrit word “Sankranti,” which means “to move”, “moving” , or “astrological passage”. The festival marks the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season in Thailand. It is a time for Thais to pay respect to their elders, visit temples, and celebrate the new year with family and friends.

Why is Songkran celebrated in April?

Now knowing that Songkran is the Thai new year, you might be wondering why Thais celebrate the new year in the middle of April. This is due to the fact that Thailand follows the buddhist calendar, which is a luni-solar calendar. If you want to learn more about the luni-solar calendar, you can click here. You also might wonder, if Thailand celebrates the new year in April, do they also celebrate the western new year on January first? Yes, they do! Thais celebrate the western new year as well, but it is not as big as Songkran. To avoid confusion between the two new years, the year number in the buddhist calendar also switches on the first of January.

How is Songkran celebrated?

Songkran is celebrated in many different ways in Thailand, but the most common way is by doing massive water fights in the streets. People use water guns or buckets and throw water at each other. The water fights are a way to wash away bad luck and start the new year fresh. Of course, the original tradition of Songkran is a little bit different from what it is today, but we get into that in the next section. Besides the water fights, people also like to visit temples, make merit and use the long holidays to spend time with their family and friends.

What are the traditions and customs of Songkran?

The original tradition of Songkran is to pour water over the hands of elders and ask for their blessings. This is a gesture of respect and gratitude towards them. The water is usually scented with flowers and herbs. The elders will then give you their blessings for the new year. This tradition is of course still practiced today, but it is not as common as the water fights. Furthermore, there are small Buddha statues in most buildings with water trays besides them during Songkran. People can pour water over the statues as a way to wash away old sins and to bring good luck for the new year. Another tradition is to build sand pagodas at the temples. Thais believe that over the course of a year, sand is carried away from the temple under their feet. By building the sand pagodas, they are returning the sand to the temple. This is a way to make merit and to bring luck and prosperity for the new year.

How long does Songkran last?

Officially, Songkran lasts for three days, from April 13 to 15. However, in some parts of Thailand, the festival is extended to five days or even a week. In Chiang Mai, for example, the festival lasts for five days. In Pattaya, the festival is extended to a whole week. Even if you are in Bangkok during Songkran, where the festival officially lasts for three days, you are not safe from getting soaked shortly before or after the official dates. So be prepared to get wet!

Regional differences in Songkran celebrations

As mentioned above, the differences in Songkran celebrations are mostly regarding the length of the festival. But in addition to that, there are also regional differences in how Songkran is celebrated. In Chiang Mai, for example, there are many parades and the water figthts are well organized. In the South of Thailand, especially on the islands, Songkran is celebrated more quietly. People still pour water over the hands of elders and visit temples, but the water fights are not as big as in other parts of Thailand. In the Isan Regain (North-East Thailand), Songkran is celebrated with more traditional music and dance.

Conclusion

Songkran is by far the biggest and most important festival in Thailand. It is a time to pay respect to elders, wash away bad luck, and start the new year fresh. No matter where you are in Thailand during Songkran, you can prepare yourself to get soaked. It is a fun and exciting festival and a nice tradition. If you ever have the chance to visit Thailand during Songkran, I highly recommend it. It is an experience you will never forget! However, if you don’t like to get wet, you might want to avoid going outside, especially during the afternoon hours and on big streets. Don’t worry, there are many places in Thailand where you can celebrate Songkran in a more quiet and traditional way.

In the next blog post, I want to write about my personal experience from this year’s Songkran festival in Chiang Mai. So stay tuned!