Songkran Festival , Thailand

Songkran Festival is deemed to be the traditional new year's day in Thailand. And quite interestingly, it coincides with several other new year celebrations in different South Asian countries. It is by far one of the most important festivals of the country.

Even though it is observed in all part of Thailand, the real party is in Patong and as a traveller, if you enjoy it in this region, you get the glimpse of the entire ceremonies and proceedings. The word Songkran evolved from a Sanskrit word which signifies astrological passage.

As a consequence, the date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculations and the movement of the celestial bodies. But now it has been given a fixed date and is observed with fun and frolic every year.

During this days, families and friends come together to celebrate and rejoice by visiting temples, sprinkling water on Buddha images in reverence, and throwing water on each other's hands as an act of wishing good luck. In this context, it finds some resemblance with the colour sprinkling festival of India- Holi.

You will pleasantly find pickup trucks carrying youngsters playing with water and shooting each other with water pistols. The custom of water play works as a symbol of washing all of the sin away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs when celebrated in the traditional manner.