There are many New Year celebrations around the world. Have you heard of Songkran? This is known as Thai New Year!

Songkran is a national holiday in Thailand that happens on April 13th annually, but it is extended to April 15th, so it lasts from April 13th to April 15th. The word "Songkran" means "astrological passage" which alludes to change. It coincides with the change from Pisces to Aries on the astrological chart. Originally, Songkran was the official new year, but this changed in 1888 and in 1940. In 2018 and 2019, Songkran was moved to April 12th to April 16th, and in 2019.

April 13th is known as Maha Songkran – the day that the sun moves into Aries; April 14th is known as Wan Nao – the day between the old and new year; and April 15th is known as Wan Thaloeng Sok – New Year's Day.

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The origins of Songkran date back to the death of Kapila Brahma, a sage. There once was a wealthy man and his drunk neighbor. This drunkard had two songs who would belittle the rich man for not having any children. The wealthy man reached out to the gods of the Sun and the Moon, asking them to grant him a son. His prayers failed until he offered cooked rice to a tree god, who lived in a banyan tree. The child was born and named Thammabal.

This child was quite clever because he was able to learn the three vedas, the language of the birds, and also able to teach people how to avoid sin. When Kapila Brahma discovered the child, he wanted to test him.

He asks, "Where is the glory (referred to as sri) of men located in the morning, during the day, and in the evening?" If he guessed improperly, his head would be chopped off.

The boy toiled for six days, unable to find the solution to Kapila Brahma's riddle. One day, he decided to lay by a sugar palm tree, where he overheard a pair of eagles talking about eating him when he loses the bet. The female eagle asks her mate if he knows the answer to the riddle.

The male eagle responds, "In the morning, the sri appears on the face, so people wash their faces every morning. At noon, the sri is at the chest where people spray perfume every noon. In the evening, the sri goes to the feet, so people wash their feet every evening."

Thammabal memorizes this answer and gives it to Kapila Brahma the next day. He wins the bet and Kapila Brahma summons his seven daughters to cut his head off. If his head fell to the earth, it would create a great fire that would swallow the world whole. If his head was thrown into the air, the rain would cease. If his head dropped into the ocean, it would dry the waters. So, in order to avoid calamity, he instructed his daughters to place his head on a pedestal, and his head was stored in the cave of Mount Kailash.

Every year when the Sun enters Aries, one of Kapila Brahma's children (known as Lady Songkran) and angels form a procession. They take the pedestal with his head during this time. Lady Songkran would stand on the back of the animal from dawn to midday, sit from midday to sunset, lie down with her eyes open from sunset to midnight, and sleeps after midnight. This procession would last for 60 minutes around Mount Meru.

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Their traditions include visiting local temples and offering food to the monks. They may also pour water on Buddha statues and the young/elderly to purify and wash away their sins and bad luck. Major streets are closed off because they are used as arenas for water fights. They splash water on each other and in some areas, there may be a Lady Songkran, or a Miss Songkran crowned.

Traditions also vary based on the region of Thailand:

CENTRAL THAILAND

The people clean their houses and dress up in colorful clothing/traditional Thai dress. They offer food to monks and appease their ancestors. They may also give sand to temples for construction or repair. And finally, they may release birds and fish.

SOUTHERN THAILAND

They work as little as possible, avoid spending money, avoid hurting other people or animals, and avoid telling lies.

NORTHERN THAILAND

There will be an Elephant Procession Ordination in Si Satchanalai District, in which men are dressed in colorful traditional clothing and guided to the temples. Gunfire and firecrackers are used to dispel bad luck. On April 14th, they'll prepare food and submit offerings to the monks at the temple. Finally, they bathe Buddha's statue in water and pour water into the hands of their elders to ask for blessings.

EASTERN THAILAND

They always visit the temples throughout the days of the Songkran Festival and create sand pagodas. Some may also prepare food to give to the elder members of their family.

THE CAPITAL - BANGKOK

Khao San Road and Silom Road are closed for water fights and the party runs throughout the day and night.

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