SONGKRAN ~ “SHANKRANTI” OF THAILAND

SONGKRAN ~ “SHANKRANTI” OF THAILAND The Songkran festival (Thai: สงกรานต์, pronounced [sǒŋ.krāːn], listen; from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti,or literally “astrological passage”) is celebrated in Thailand as the traditional New Year’s Day from 13 to 15 April. It coincides with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia. The festive occasion is in keeping with the Buddhist/Hindu solar calendar.

The traditional water pouring is meant as a symbol of washing away all of their sins and the bad and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs when celebrated in the traditional manner.

The festival is also celebrated by Singpho, Khamyang, Tikhaks (Tangsa) and Phakyal community of Arunachal Pradesh, and Tai Phake community of Assam. The tradition of soaking people (mostly women) with water is typical in Poland, Slovakia and the Eastern Czech Republic during the original Easter celebrations on the beginning of April.

In some villages in South India, especially Karnataka, a festival called Okhali or Okhli is celebrated where every household keeps a barrel of water mixed with chalk and turmeric and throw it on passers-by. The date of Okhali coincides with that of Songkran in Thailand and Thingyan in Myanmar and not with the dates of Holi which is a north Indian festival.