Imagine if New Year’s was celebrated by drenching family and friends with water. Imagine it as a three-day celebration instead of a one night event. Throw in some Buddhist traditions and the result is Songkran or the celebration of the Thai New Year. As the capital of Thailand, Bangkok offers the largest Songkran festivities, but the event is celebrated throughout Thailand and even in other countries.

Originally celebrated according to the astrological calendar, the dates of Songkran are now fixed as April 13th-15th. When Thailand changed their official New Year to be January 1 in 1940, Songkran became a separate national holiday recognizing the traditional New Year. Many Thais will take the entire week of Songkran as a holiday from work. Visitors who wish to experience Songkran can schedule a stay in the best Bangkok hotels, though be aware that April is the hottest month of the year in Thailand.

As a time of renewal and cleansing, Songkran traditions include the cleaning of Buddha images in household shrine or even cleaning an entire home from top to bottom. Some Thais make resolutions to do good deeds and refrain from bad behaviors, but much of the holiday is about paying respects to elders, family, and neighbors. Many people make special trips to their wat (a Buddhist monastery), brining food to the monks as well as praying.

As for the water, the tradition began as part of the cleansing of the Buddhas. People would gently pour water mixed with herbs or fragrance over the statues in order to bring prosperity and good luck. Some cities will parade the images from important monasteries through the street, allowing the public to “bath” them with water. Water was also used to pay respects to elders by pouring a small amount of water over a shoulder or

Some of the other countries that celebrate Songkran include Cambodia (where it is known as Chaul Chnam Thmey), Laos (pi mai lao), and Myaanmar (Thingyan). South Asian calendars also recognize the date, since it is based on an astrological event, when the sun begins its journey northward. These include the New Years for Tamil, Punjabi, Malayali, and Oriya.

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