Inte bara vattenkrig. PARADEN som inleder firandet av Songkran, Nyårsfirande i Thailand, består av en lång karavan bilar som medför statyer av buddha och berömda avlidna munkar från nästan varje tempel i omnejden. Och här finns många tempel !!! Dessutom uppträdande av varierat slag.
On the 13th of April, the main Songkran parade takes place on Charoenmuang road (near the Narawat bridge) which carries Buddha statues through the streets with crowds lining the street giving merit and wishing for good luck into the new year by splashing them with water.
Songkran is the Thai New Year. As in many other cultures, it marks the passage of time and symbolizes change and transformation. There are many traditions surrounding Songkran, too many to name here. But in general, across Thailand, Thai people celebrate this holiday by paying their respects to their elders by visiting them and by visiting the monks at the temple by bringing food and praying ('giving merit') and by symbolically washing statues of Buddha and each other with water. At the temples, this includes monks gently sprinkling some water (sometimes with white or brightly colored chalk) from a bowl to bless those who give merit.
Out in the streets, it's a whole different matter. Streets are closed off so that everyone can indulge in the huge water fights that Songkran is known for. But still, there are traditional elements even in this; it's good custom to thank someone after a good exchange of 'watery blessings' by giving them a smile, a small bow with the traditional folding of the hands, the Thai “Wai”.
Stor skillnad mot första Songkran jag upplevde i Songkran, se länken från 2009.
