Songkran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Songkran |
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| Official name | Different names denote the festival across South and Southeast Asia |
| Also called | Southeast Asian New Year |
| Observed by | Burmese, Dais, Laotians, Thais, Bangladeshis (CHT), Sri Lankans, Tai Dam and certain ethnic groups of northeast India |
| Significance | Marks the new year |
| Date | Generally 13–14 April |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Mesha Sankranti |
Songkran is a super fun New Year festival celebrated in several countries in Southeast Asia. It's a time for fresh starts and big celebrations! The word "Songkran" comes from an old language called Sanskrit. It means a "change" or "moving forward."
When it's the New Year, it's called Maha Songkran, which means a "big change." This exciting festival happens every year in April. It's a time when the sun moves into a new position in the sky, marking the start of a new year in the traditional calendar.
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What is Songkran?
Songkran is the traditional New Year festival for many people in Southeast Asia. It's celebrated in countries like Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Parts of northeast India, Vietnam, and Xishuangbanna in China also join the fun.
This festival is linked to other New Year celebrations in South Asia. These are all part of a bigger group of festivals called Mesha Sankranti.
Different Songkran New Year Festivals
Many countries have their own special names and ways to celebrate Songkran. Here are some of them:
- Lao New Year: This is how Laos celebrates its New Year.
- Sinhalese New Year: This festival is celebrated in Sri Lanka.
- Songkran (Thailand): Thailand has its own famous Songkran celebrations.
- Thingyan: This is the name for the New Year festival in Myanmar.
- Sangken: People in Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam, India, celebrate with this festival.
- Water-Sprinkling Festival: This is how people in Xishuangbanna, China, and parts of northern Vietnam celebrate.
Songkran Celebrations Around the World
Songkran is so popular that it's celebrated by communities outside of Asia too! People who have moved from these countries often bring their traditions with them.
Celebrations in Australia
Many places in Australia host Songkran parties.
- In Sydney, a big celebration happens at the Wat Pa Buddharangsee Buddhist Temple. Thousands of people come for water fights, prayers, dances, and delicious food. You can find Thai, Burmese, Sri Lankan, and other Asian foods there.
- Another big Thai New Year celebration takes place in Thai Town, Sydney.
- In Melbourne, the Sri Lankan New Year festival is held every year in Dandenong, Victoria. It's a huge event, attracting thousands of people.
- The Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne also has a two-day Songkran event.
- The Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, New South Wales is famous for its Songkran celebrations. Many Cambodian, Laotian, and Thai people live there. Temples and local groups organize events, including a large Lao New Year party.
- Taronga Zoo in Sydney even celebrated Thai New Year with its Asian elephants and traditional dancers!
Celebrations in the United States
Cities in the United States with large Asian communities also celebrate Songkran.
- In Seattle, the University of Washington's Khmer Student Association hosts a New Year party. There's also a Cambodian New Year Street Festival.
- Buddhist temples in Pasadena, California and Azusa, California hold celebrations focusing on the Sri Lankan and Burmese New Year.
- The International Lao New Year Festival happens every year in San Francisco. It celebrates the Lao New Year but also includes other Asian communities like Thai, Cambodian, Burmese, and Sri Lankan people.
- The Freer and Sackler gallery in Washington, D.C. has held events celebrating the Lunar New Year, which includes the mid-April New Year for many Asian countries.
- The Wing in Seattle also celebrated New Year customs from Laos as part of its "New Years All Year Round" exhibit.
