Thailand: Songkran
Considering how April temperatures in Thailand can break 30 degrees Celsius, it’s no surprise the Thai New Year celebrations involve a countrywide water fight! Coinciding with the dry season, Songkran, which literally means “to pass, to move into” both symbolically and practically acts as a refreshing start to the year.
The most famous part of Songkran is the water fight, drawing both locals and tourists to the streets with hoses, water balloons, and buckets to douse those around. Given Thailand’s farming industry, rainfall is crucial, and water during the festival symbolises the hope for plentiful rainfall in the coming year. Thai revellers will also pour mixtures of water and fragrances on Buddha images as an act of cleaning.
There is a parallel bathing ritual where worshippers pour water over senior Buddhist monks, who then conduct sermons and bless those who attended the ritual. This act of pouring water over something or someone is seen as an act of purification, with the aim being to wash away one’s sins and undesirable luck prior to a new year. Thai Buddhists will also visit the temples to build sand chedi (เจดีย์), which are sandcastles that resemble a Buddhist temple.
Aside from cleansing in preparation of the new year, the Thai also perform acts of merit building or merit offering. On top of starting the year with cleansing rituals, they will conduct acts of service and giving, such as giving offerings to the temples and providing sand for construction and repair, as well as releasing birds, fish, buffaloes, cows, and more.
Fun fact: As part of merit-making activities, temples will hold fairs, in which the Thai public can play games, with money raised from games being re-allocated to temple maintenance and support.