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Songkran
Songkran is a New Year's water festival recognized in the Southeast Asian countries of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and is also observed in the Thai homeland of Sipsong Panna in southwestern China as well as northern Burma.
At the height of the hot season a water festival is appropriate for its cooling effect but water is also representative as a symbol of cleansing and renewal. This "Water Splashing Festival" brings a feeling of merriment and good will to everyone, however there are significant ritual meanings to these rites as well. The third day of Songkran is known as Wan Payawan and is the first official day of the New Year. On this day devout Buddhists choose this as a time of merit making, beginning at the home where water in silver bowls scented with jasmine flowers is sprinkled on the family shrine "Phra Buddha Chao", as well as on the Buddha images of the shrines of temples. On this day of merit making, many offerings of food and other goods are given to the monks.
Water is sprinkled on monks and elders as a gesture of respect and for their blessing. This is much different than the water splashing in the streets. This ritual is performed walking on the knees with a bowl of water scented with flowers which is sprinkled with a flower on the hands of the monks and elders seated in a line. Water is also gently poured on the shoulders friends with blessings of "Happy New Year".
Another ritual which is outside of water throwing is the tying of strings. Strings are tied around the wrists of others as a gesture of blessing. A person will approach another holding the string by the ends with the fingers of both hands while the recipient holds out their wrist, underside up. While the string is being tied the one offering the string recites a blessing. Some people will have many strings on their wrists which are worn until they fall off naturally.
Songkran is perhaps the most high spirited of Buddhist festivals with many forms of traditional and contemporary entertainment's of music and dance.
Schedule
10:00 a.m.
10 Monks chant for the celebration of Buddhist Sacred Sites
10:30 a.m Alms food offering
1:00 p.m Sermon
2:00 p.m. Songkran Festival
3:00 p.m. Relic Ceremony (place the relics at each of the pilgrimage sites)
7:00 p.m. Chanting in front of Buddagaya and then a candle lit procession
around the sites.