Water Festival | New Year Celebration

Water Festival | New Year Celebration

Thingyan| Songran| Koudsongkhane|Bonn Chaul Chhnam

If you are a foreigner and now in any Southeast Asian countries, you should not miss a special new year celebration which called 'water festival'. Water festival is celebrated in Theravada Buddhism countries which are Myanmar(Burma), Thailand,Lao,Cambodia and any other Theravada Buddhists community in some countries such as Tai(Shan) Sipsongpanna (Xihuangbanna)in southern Yunan, China because water festivel is celebrated for the new year of lunisolar calendar of Theravada Buddhism.

Thingyan in Myanmar

Thingyan in Myanmar

Songran in Chiangmai(Thailand)

Songran in Chiangmai(Thailand)

Water festival falls on mid April of the year which are from April 13th to 15th. Most people will play water even from 12th to 16th April. So what are people doing during water festival? Water festival is officially the most important holidays and people are throwing water at one another all over the country. Water-throwing is very fun and enjoyable. Besides the water-throwing,traditional dance, singing and cultural shows are performed together. Religious activities in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism are carried out at both Pagoda and Monastery. Young people will visit the elders to pay respect and obeisance in New Year Day of water festival.

Water festival in Myanmar(Burma) is called Thingyan, Maha Thingyan and Myanmar New Year where as in Thailand it is called Songkran,Maha Songkran and Thai New Year. In Lao it is called Koudsongkhane and Lao New Year while in Cambodia it is called, Bonn Chaul Chhnam and Khmer New Year.


References and Photos

Wikipedia.org
http://www.fujifilm.co.th
http://www.thai-blogs.com
http://shwepla.net/Showcase