Songkran Splashs & Traditions

during Songkran Festival
SONGKRAN,
TRADITIONS & BELIEFS:
F
un is actually just one aspect of Chiang Mai
Songkran festival. It actually has a deep meaning
and that is to ask for blessing and to enrich religious
intentions. Traditionally people would use only a light
sprinkling of water to symbolize purification. As everyone
wishes for good vibes, house wives clean their houses. On
the other hand, young individuals are showing their respect
to elders by pouring fragrant water on their palms.
Songkran festival in Chiang Mai is divided in three major
days. The first important day is April 13th, which is called
Wan Maha Songkran, meaning the day marking the end of
the old year. This day is pretty much a day of preparation:
Thai people go to the market and prepare delicious dishes
for the new year. They also buy equipment for water playing.
April 14th is Wan Nao (Nao Day). This is an auspicious
day when everyone must be cheerful, talk politely and not
behave badly. In the morning, food and offerings for the
monks are prepared and then distributed to friends and
relatives the following morning. In the afternoon, sand is
brought to the temple compounds and sand stupas are made
as a form of worship to the Lord Buddha. Finally the time
comes for gently splashing water at one another with a word
of blessing.
April 15th is Wan Talerng Sok (Talerng Sok day). This day
is the most important day of the New Year celebration, this is
the year when the new year begins.
Important local traditions includes the making of sand
stupas in temples decorated with colorful flags (read our
article pages 22-23) and Lanna drums competitions (read
our article pages 46-47).
Mai Kham Bho offering.
Sand Pagoda
1. Attend Alms Giving, early morning at
Thapae Gate (April 13) :
As the sun rises in Chiang Mai, hundreds
of Buddhist monks depart from their
various temples for Thapae Gate. The
tradition of alms offering dates back to
the 14th century, yet still today locals
wake up early to prepare food for the
monks and wait quietly by the roadside.
This ceremony is both peaceful and
spiritual and it gives you a wonderful
opportunity to experience the real
Thailand.
Everyone is welcome to join this Alms
Giving ceremony, just walk to Thapae
Gate at around 7am.
2. Witness the superb procession of
Phra Phuttha Sihing, a revered
Buddha image of the North:
The image is taken in a procession that
moves from Wat Prasingh and around
Chiang Mai city. You can view the
procession on Ratchadamnoen road,
leading to Wat Prasingh.
3. Enjoy water splashing around the
moat:
Envisage a traffic jam for four days with
people dancing on top of their cars. This
epitomises the spirit of Songkran! Part
of the fun of Songkran festival is to walk
around the old city’s moat, where most of
the action takes place. Hundreds of cars
join in which creates the city’s biggest
annual traffic jam.
4. Visit Warorot Market:
Warorot Market is the biggest market
in Chiang Mai. Take a few hours to walk
around and enjoy the experience: people
will be wearing traditional Chiang Mai blue
clothes or colorful hawaiin style shirts.
Traditional Songkran music will play all day,
putting big smiles on everyone’s faces.
There will also be many delicious dishes for
sale. Don’t miss visiting the left side building
which features more than twenty stands
of traditional Songkran accessories such
as flags for sand pagodas, scented water,
Mai Kham Bo wood and flowers.
5. Experience traditions unique to
Chiang Mai such as Mai Kham Bho
Procession and Sand Offering:
The Mai Kham Bho Procession is centered
on the Bho tree, a sacred tree that can
be found in temples (picture page 10). Bho
trees are surrounded by wooden supports
called Mai Kham Bo and these supports
are placed around the trees in temples.
Local beliefs say that the act of placing
support around sacred trees brings luck
and prosperity to devotees. Mai Kam Bho
pr cessions usually fall on the same day
of April as Songkran.
Another important custom is to build
sand pagodas in the temples.Vilagers
arrive in their best clothes with candles,
joss sticks, flowers, ceremonial flags and
handfuls of sand.
The sand is used to make miniature
pagodas that are decorated with colorful
flags and sprinkled with scented water.In
local tradition, when people bring sand to
the temple, it is a way to compensate for
any they may have inadvertently carried
away on the bottom of their shoes during
the year.
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