April is one of the hottest months in South East Asia, it is also the month that New Year is celebrated in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. The celebration of the New Year comes paired with a lot of water splashing, a refreshing interlude from the April heat. The New Year is called Songkran in Thailand, Pee Mai Lao in Laos, Chol Chnam Thmey in Cambodia and Thingyan in Myanmar.  It is also known as the Water Festival to foreigners.

Even though the changing of the calendar year is adopted from the West and the New Year is officially recognized as January 1st on most Southeast Asian calendars, their traditional holidays are still kept intact.  It was actually based on the solar calendar, but is now fixed on April 13th – 15th.

The Origins

The festival originated from the Brahmins in Northern India centuries ago.  They believed that the sun entered Aries from Taurus and finished its orbit around the earth on April 13th.  It is also the start of spring and signified the start of a new life, thus becoming their New Year.  The Tai people from China adopted this tradition and spread it to the various places they emigrated to, long before Southeast Asia’s recorded history.  The tradition was readily inherited into each country’s societies partly because they were free from farm work during this time.  This gave them time to perform their annual rites of showing respect to their ancestors.

Traditionally, people will go to temples to pray and make merit.  They will also clean Buddha images by gently pouring water over them.  It is believed that this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year.  Sand is also brought to the temple grounds and stupa-shaped piles are sculptured, decorated and given to monks as a merit making gesture.  Another way to make merit is to free animals such as crabs, birds and fish.

The pouring of water was originally a way to respect elders.  The water, which had been poured onto Buddha images and therefore blessed, was seen as a way of giving good fortune to family members and elders by gently pouring it onto their shoulders. Through time, younger generations would throw water at each other as a way to comfort themselves from the heat. This has further evolved into water fights and splashing water over people riding in vehicles.

The Water Festival is very important to the people in the area.  Many will go back to their home provinces in order to be with their family members.

Join the fun with EXO’s Splashing Songkran tour.   Head out with a guide through Chiang Mai to partake in water fights and more traditional rituals.