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STORY
Pii Mai Lao, Laos, AprIL 14 – 16
In terms of cultural practices,
Pi Mai Lao
(Laotian New Year) is not very different
from Songkran and the Cambodian New Year. One of the most important dates in
the Lao calendar,
Pi Mai Lao
is a time of celebration, fun, and merry making and is
synonymous with commemorating the Lao identity. Familial bonds are reinforced
and relationships strengthened; it is a time for tranquil and soulful reflection for the
year ahead.
Similar to Thailand, it is officially celebrated for three days, but the celebrations
always extend to a week. Similar to Cambodia, they also partake in the washing of
Buddha statues, and people greet one another with
‘Sok Dil Pimai’
(Happy New Year)
before pouring water over their heads to wash away the previous year’s sins. To them,
water, too, is symbolic of cleansing and purification.
Some interesting things to look out for in the main city, Luang Prabang, are the
thousands of sand stupas on the Mekong River bank, erected to keep ‘evil’ spirits out,
the Prabang procession from the former Royal Palace to Vat Mai, and the beauty contest,
on top of assorted games, music and dance.
Thingyan, Myanmar (Burma), AprIL 13 – 16
Thingyan
is most notably a NewYearWater Festival,
with preparations preceding the actual New Year.
Arguably the most celebrated festival inMyanmar, it
is chock full of fantastical mythologies and folklore,
yet still Buddhist in spirit.
Similar to the other NewYears, alms giving, good
deeds and even fasting is undertaken. It is a time
for all to celebrate goodwill, love, and kindness.
On the eve of Thingyan, religious activities such
as observing the Eight Precepts of Buddhism are
undertaken, and the fun starts nearer to the evening,
when merry making in the form of song and dance
take place.
Like Songkran, this festival also originally started
with bowls of water poured onto heads, but have
evolved to be a fun and active water festival to have
clean fun with friends, families and strangers. If
you’re ever in the area, look out for the beautiful
sprinkling of Padauk blossoms, flowers that have
come to symbolise Thingyan.
Did you know?
Other reg i ons have s imi l ar
celebrations, most notably those
that have direct Hindu influences
on their cultures. However, these
celebrations di f fer from the
Buddhist-origin variants, in that
thepouringofwaterdoesnot factor
heavily into festivities (and are
primarily bound to small, religious,
cleansing rituals). Merry making,
feasting and al l-around happy
gatherings do, though.
•
Apr 14, Punjab Region, India:
Vaisakhi (Harvest Festival and
Punjabi NewYear)
•
Apr14,TamilNadu&Puducherry:
Puthandu (Tamil NewYear)
•
Apr 14/15, Bangl adesh &
West Bengal: Pohela Boishakh
(Bengali NewYear)
•
Apr 13/14, Sri Lanka: Aluth
Avurudda (SinhaleseNewYear)
Laotian New Year - Beautiful, young and dolled up Laotian
performers -Photo credit: Damian Dempsey (Flickr: Yarra64)
Water, water, everywhere! Trucks
laden with people and powerful
jets of water are a normal sight
duringThingyan
-Photo credit: Theis Kofoed Hjorth
(Flickr: kofoed)