|
The human beings love to learn and to experience new things. Nowadays,
customs and ways of life of people become an important tourism resource.
In the age of globalization, high-speed communication is a supporting
factor for those who love to travel. Each year, thousands of foreign
visitors celebrate and join major festivals in different parts of
the world. The activities in Songkran Festival and Loi Krathong
and Candle Festival are participated by foreign visitors with no
effect caused to the main idea of the festival. The Tourism Authority
of Thailand (TAT) plans to promote both activitiesinternationally
as "The Festival of the World", maintaining the balances
between cultural preservation and tourism promotion. Foreign visitors
are able to learn local customs of each region and understand more
on ways of life of each community. The vision of the Tourism Authority
of Thailand in the years 2002 - 2006 is to emphasize on sustainable
tourism, Thai ways of life and international standard in terms of
economic, social and environment.
The Songkran Festival
The word "Songkran" derives from Sanskrit language,
meaning to pass or to move, It corresponds to the solar calendar,
adopting the time when the Sun moves past twelve zodiacs composing
of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio,
Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. An orbit of each
zodiac takes 30 days, which means one year for twelve zodiacs.
The counting system, influenced by India, is used in the countries
of Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
The 13th of April is "Maha Songkran Day" or New Year's
Day. It is the time when the Sun moves from Pisces into Aries
and the Earth moves past the Sun at right angles, making daytime
and nighttime equally long. Songkran Day is the day to make merit
for three full days; Maha Songkran Day or the end of old year
(13th of April), Wan Klang or Wan Nao or preparation day (14th
of April) and New Year's Day or Wan Taleung Sok (15th of April).
Legend of Songkran Goddesses
Songkran Goddesses are named differently depending on the day
Songkran Festival falls on each year. Songkran Goddess of Sunday
is Tungsa, Monday is Koraka, Tuesday is Raksos, Wednesday is Mondha,
Thursday is Kirinee, Friday is Kimina and Saturday is Mahotorn.
The seven goddesses are the daughters of Tao Maha Songkran or
King Kabillabrama. They have responsibility to look after the
head of their father which is placed on Wanfah pedestal. King
Kabillabrama was beheaded, as he could not give the correct answer
to Dhamma Kumar's question. Before his death, the King asked his
seven daughters who are angels in the heaven to put his head on
Wanfah pedestal as it is the origin of heat. If his head is placed
on the earth, the fire would occur, in the air there would be
no rain, in the ocean the water would get dry. The seven daughters
thus take turn holding their father's head, each for a period
of one year.
Value and Importance
The Songkran Festival is the festival to celebrate Thai New Year
since an ancient time. The festival represents the day ofcaring,
love and binding among family, community and religion. The members
of the family have a chance to stay together and show their gratitude
towards the elders. The young calls upon the elders and pour water
over their hands asking fo r blessing. In addition, the activities
are created to construct unity in the community, such as making
merit, giving food to monks, laying sand stupas, splashing water
at one another for joy. The sense of binding among members of
the same community, the sense of caring public asset as well as
preserving environment helps keep the living places, Buddhist
monasteries and buildings clean.
Activities to be preserved and promoted
There are various activities to be preserved and promoted in
the Songkran Festival, which are; - The wearing of new clothes
to pay respect to the elders. - The cleaning of living places,
nearby compounds in the community and Buddhist monasteries as
place for merit making. - Offering food to monks in the morning,
or cooking food for monks to dedicate the merit to the late ancestors.
- The laying of sand stupas. Sand is brought to the monastery
compounds and sand stupas are laid in forms of stupas or animals,
decorated with colorful flags, incense and flowers to worship
the Lord Buddha. Later, the sand is used in construction purpose
and other public work. - Making charity by setting free fish and
birds, listening to sermons and practicing the five precepts.
- Making merits for and devoting merits to the late elders. -
Bathing the Buddha image with scented perfume, floating with jasmine.
- Bathing the monks and novices with clean water and offering
robes to them. - Pouring water onto the elders' hands by using
clean water or water mixed with scented perfume, floating with
jasmine. - Splashing water onto one another with clean water in
polite manner, violating no rights and liberty of the others.
- Celebrating the festival with local entertainment.
Nowadays, the Songkran festival is celebrated with inappropriate
activities, causing damages to the root of culture and to people's
lives and properties. The preventive measures need to be imposed
for the following activities. 1. Splashing water at one another
violently by using water gun, using dirty water or other rotten
liquid, throwing ice bag and causing others hurt. 2. Putting powder
on ladies' faces, or any other acts with an intention to seduce
the women such as fondling women's faces, chests and hips. 3.
The Songkran Beauty Queen contest or other inappropriate contests,
dressed in swimming suit.
Things to Do
1. To educate people with correct understanding on value and
core of the festival as well as appropriate activities. 2. To
promote the learning of festival both formal and non-formal educational
system as well as self-study education.
Unique Characteristics of the Songkran Festival
in Each Locality
Songkran Festival in the North
Songkran is the ancient Thai New Year of Lanna people. April
13th or Wan Sangkan Long means the old year passes by and it is
day when an era is changed. In the early morning of the day, firecrackers
are set off to drive away all bad luck from the previous year.
The locals clean their houses, bathe, wash their hair, wear new
clothes and visit certain places or "New Year's Visit".
Today is the day to begin the splash of water at one another.
The next day, April 14th, is called Wan Nao or Wan Da (preparation
day). It is a day to prepare necessities for merit making. In
the afternoon, sand is brought from the river to the monastery
compounds nearby the house and sand stupas are laid as a form
of worship to the Lord Buddha, elaborately decorated with colorful
flags. Splashing water at one another continues for the second
day. The third day, April 15th, is called Wan Phaya Wan or Wan
Taleung Sok, The food and offerings are brought to the monasteries
to make merit to the elders and the late ancestors. This is called
Tan Kan Kao. After that people use branches and sticks to prop
up the Sri Maha Bodhi tree, free birds and fish and bathe Buddha
images. Moreover, the young pay respect to the elders by pouring
water onto the elders' hands (Rot Nam Dam Hua), asking for forgiveness
of bad deeds in the past. Rot Nam Dam Hua continues until Wan
Pak Pee. The day will have Rot Nam Dam Hua procession dressed
in native costume. The flowers are beautifully arranged in the
form of a bush, headed by traditional dance to pour water onto
respected monks and high-ranking government officials. Today there
are Dam Hua Khu or to bathe the stupas that contains the ashes
of their ancestors, which is considered unique culture of the
North. It is the deed of asking for forgiveness, to pay respect
to each other with sincerity and the unity in the group. The famous
Songkran festival of the North is the Songkran Festival in Chiang
Mai.
Songkran Festival in the Northeast
The Northeast or I-San of Thailand has got social etiquette called
"Heat Sib Song" or twelve traditions which mostly concerned
with making merits in Buddhism. Duan Ha or the fifth lunar month
is when Songkran takes place on 13th, 14th and 15th of April.
The activities in each area might have slight differences in certain
points. The main activity is to bathe the Buddha image in the
monastery's hall for sermons or in bathing chamber. The splashing
of water at one another is also practiced. After the Songkran
Festival, some villages parade flower procession to the monastery.
At night, the activities involves merit making, listening to sermons
for the celebration of flower tree which later will be taken to
other villages. The host village will prepare food for visitors
to show unity among the group. However, nowadays, the practice
becomes lesser. The famous Songkran Festival in the Northeast
is the Songkran Festival in Nong Khai Province. The bathing of
Luang Phor Pra Sai, the sacred Buddha image respected by the Thai
and Lao people. Apart from this, there is the celebration along
the Maekhong River on the riverbanks of Thailand and Laos as Lao
people also celebrate this festival.
Songkran Festival in the Central Plain
The Songkran Festival is the festival to celebrate Thai New Year
for three days, 13th, 14th and 15th of April. The activities include
making merit, offering food to monks, set free birds and fish,
bathing the Buddha image, laying sand stupas, the procession of
Songkran Beauty Queen and splashing water at one another. The
famous Songkran Festivals of the Central Plain includethe Songkran
Festival in Bangkok on Khao San Road, Banglampoo, Sanam Luang,
Wat Mahatat and Wat Pho. the Songkran Festival in Phra Nakorn
Si Ayutthaya at Kum Khun Phan (Residence of Khun Phan) in the
compound of Phra Nakorn Si Ayutthaya Historical Park, with an
atmosphere of ancient Songkran. In addition, there is Phra Pra
Daeng Songkran Festival in Samut Prakarn which is the tradition
of the people of Thai - Mon. The activities are slightly different
from other areas, such as bird parade and fish parade. The parade
is joined by the Songkran Beauty Queen, dressed in a costume based
on the Songkran legend, carrying with birds and fish to be set
free. The dry-cooked rice in cool water and food are carried to
the monasteries since early morning by young ladies. Saba game
is still extant while Phra Pra Daeng people dressed in traditional
costume.
Songkran Festival in the South
The Songkran Festival is the festival to celebrate Thai New Year
by people in the South for three days, 13th, 14th and 15th of
April. The activities include making merit, offering food to monks,
set free birds and fish, bathing the Buddha image, laying sand
stupas, the procession of Songkran Beauty Queen and splashing
water onto one another. The famous Songkran Festivals of the South
take place at Hat Yai Municipality Park, Had Yai District and
at Thai Pavilion, Muang District, Songkhla. The festival starts
from 6th - 15th April and it is participated by tourists from
Malaysia and Singapore. Moreover, there is the Songkran Festival
in Nakhon Si Thammarat and the activities include the bathing
of Phra Buddha Si-Hing, offering food to monks at the City Playground
and the procession of Songkran Beauty Queen.
|
