SONGKRAN, THAI BUDDHISTNEW YEAR’S

And so… here it is December!  In Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa we love to celebrate “big time” the New Year.  That is why, in addition to enjoy with us at our luxury resort our big New Year’s Eve Party, today we would like to share with you other ways of celebrating New Year in Asia.

Let’s talk today about Songkran; one of the most known and main Thai celebrations which runs 3 days, from April 13 to 15.

Opposite to the european New Year, Songkran coincides with the summer beginning and the Buddhist New Year; as almost all Asian celebrations Songkran is a colorfull and plenty of good intentions and wishes. Families and friends get together to honor the upcoming new year and also their ancestors’ memory.

It is also a celebration of cleanness, renovation and change, so water is the main element on this traditional feast during which the city becomes a big water celebration.  Friend and relatives throw water each other; this has 2 main reasons:  April’s high temperatures and intense hot, and the celebration of the upcoming monsoon rain season, which will make grow the rice fields and provide a good harvest.

As we can see, Songkran is a singing to the rain and water and a commemoration to winter’s end and life’s reborn.

During this celebration, there are other activities such temple cleaning, where people shows their gratitude and respect to their elder and equals spilling water on their hands to bless new year.

On Songkran’s third day it is usually to spill water over Buddha’s images and statues from a silver bowl. It is an ancient spiritual purification rite.

Another Sogkran tradition is to tie a cord as a bracelet around the wrist to wish a happy year to friends and family; this creates a special link between the person who tie each cord and the one who receives it. It last until the cord breaks and fall itself.

If you find interesting this new year traditions don’t miss our Asia Gardens blog, as during this month we will share so many others; and if you want to live and experience an Asian New Year, spectacular and different, come to our luxury resort and celebrate the new year coming with us at Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa.