Have you ever been ‘sprayed or splashed’ with water by strangers when you were visiting Thailand? That is the Songkran Water Festival or known as the biggest water fight in the world! It is celebrated in Thailand every year in April. In mid-April, the rice harvest is followed by this festival, which also marks the traditional commencement of the Thai New Year.
The real meaning behind the ritual of throwing water on one another is not only for fun, it is also symbolic to signify washing off all misfortunes in the past year, thus welcoming the new year with fresh beginnings and well wishes.
UNESCO has now formally recognised the Songkran Festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, which solidifies the cultural significance and importance of the festival. However, this is also one of the most fun things everyone especially tourists can enjoy in Thailand.
The Songkran Festival is celebrated over a period of three days, out of which, the first day is dedicated to the elders. The festival has traditional ceremonies such as younger people pouring water on elderly relatives’ hands as a gesture of respect and humility, asking for their blessings for the coming year. It also symbolizes washing off bad luck.
The second day is for the family which celebrates family reunions. There is also the ritual of ‘Bathing the Buddha’ where devotees pay respect to Buddha by pouring fragrant water over Buddha’s statues at temples and at home to represent purification and good fortune.
And out in the public areas, Songkran festivities become louder and more fun. Everyone comes out in the streets and splash or sprinkle water on one another using toy water guns, hoses, and even buckets! This playful water festival attracts travellers from all over the world where locals as well as visitors participate in a playful festival where no one can escape getting splashed once you step out of the door!
Visitors can witness the entire country joining in friendly water fights and street parties that last from a day to nearly a week depending where you are. But, in reality, the whole week is taken over by a mass celebration as the whole country celebrates a huge water fight.
And these days, even talcum powder is being used when it is not convenient to have buckets of water around. So you get splashed by water or talc!
For tourists who plan to visit during the festival, they are advised to secure their things in a waterproof bag as you will be completely drenched. Try not to drive a vehicle during the festival, especially a motorbike, because the roads can be quite slippery.
This recent development in Thailand means the Songkran Festival joins the list of other cultural attractions like Khon (2018), Thai Massage (2019) and Nora (2021) which have been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
Khon, the Khon Masked Dance Drama, is a performing art that combines musical, vocal, literary, dance, ritual and handicraft elements. Thai massage or Thai yoga massage is a traditional therapy combining acupressure, Indian Ayurvedic principles, and assisted yoga postures. Nora is a lively and acrobatic form of dance theatre and improvisational singing from southern Thailand.
