I don’t think I will be having a bath anytime now. Why? Because I have been drenched enough for a lifetime. I was in Khao San Road, Bangkok, Thailand for their New Year celebrations. Yes, it’s called Songkran and it is the most important event on the Buddhist calendar. It is a water festival marking the beginning of their traditional New Year. Songkran means “passing” or “approaching” in Sanskrit.
This year it was held from April 13 to 15. There were performances and I got to taste yummilicious traditional food.
A major part of the festival involves throwing water on everyone. I had prepared myself to get splashed, but then what really happened took me by shock. At one point I thought I would be drowned — so quickly were the buckets of water being thrown. And, when the buckets needed to be refilled, water pistols were out.
What happens
The first day is known as Songkran and processions carrying the images of the Buddha wind their way through the town. The people also clean out their houses on this day. The official opening ceremony is held at Wat Pho, the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand. It is home to the spectacular gold-plated reclining Buddha.
The second day is Wan Nao — a celebration of the old Thai New Year’s Eve. On this day, many Buddhists go to their temples and build chedis (a sand castle built to resemble a Buddhist temple).
On the final day, offerings are made at the temples. Chiang Mai, the mountainous northern Thailand hosts one of the country’s biggest Songkran celebrations. The festival begins a day earlier with an eye-catching procession around the city. You can sample street food, cultural celebrations and traditional performances, with the water throwing, of course!
The tourists seem to be lapping it up. They were enjoying being soaked to the skin and were quick to find receptacles to collect water in to throw at others. Streets are gridlocked thanks to the celebration but that shouldn’t be a problem because remember — you have water to throw!
