| Holiday Name: | Songkran |
| Type: | Asian festival |
| Official Name: | Different names denote the festival across South and Southeast Asia |
| Nickname: | Southeast Asian New Year |
| Observedby: | Thais, Burmese, Dais, Laotians, Bangladeshis (CHT), Sri Lankans, Tai Dam, Cambodian and certain ethnic groups of northeast India |
| Significance: | Marks the new year |
| Date: | Generally 13–15 April |
| Date2016: | 13–15 April, Monkey |
| Date2017: | 13–15 April, Rooster |
| Date2018: | 13–15 April, Dog |
| Date2019: | 13–15 April, Pig/Elephant |
| Date2020: | 13–15 April |
| Frequency: | Annual |
| Relatedto: | Mesha Sankranti |
| Date2024: | Generally 13–15 April |
| Songkran celebrations |
Songkran is the water-splashing festival celebration in the traditional new year for the Buddhist calendar widely celebrated across South and Southeast Asia in Thailand, Bangladesh, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia parts of northeast India, parts of Vietnam, and Xishuangbanna, China[1] [2] begins on 13 April of the year.
In Thai,[3] Songkran[4] or Songkrant (outdated form)[5] is a contractive form of Sangkran (sim kranti), which itself is a loanword[6] [7] from Sanskrit (or, more specifically, )[8] or Pali Saṅkhāra.[9] The original meaning of saṅkrānti, marked of the sun, transits the constellation of Aries, the first astrological sign in the Zodiac, as reckoned by sidereal astrology.[10] It is related to the equivalent Hindu calendar-based New Year festivals in most parts of South Asia, which are collectively referred to as Mesha Sankranti.
Oxford English Dictionary defines Songkran as "The festival of the Thai New Year, characterized by various observances involving the pouring or splashing of water (1727–present.)".[11] Term has also entered other languages, such as French: La fête du Songkran,[12] Dutch; Flemish: Sonkraen,[13] Japanese: ソンクラーン,[14] Chinese: 宋干节[15] and Korean: 송끄란.[16]
The word Songkran written in different ethnic groups, languages or cultures as the following,
Songkran written as Sankranti can be found in many Khmer inscriptions,[32] namely at these locations;
Songkran in Cambodia written as Maha Sankran[40] in 1904 by Étienne Aymonier and Maha sankrant[41] or Sankrant in 1909 by Adhémard Leclère which marked the beginning of Cambodia New Year found in The Cambodian's Almanac and Its Calendar for 1907–1908.
Étienne Aymonier also distinguished the difference of the term Maha Sankran in Cambodia that only refers to the small official calendar which must appear for the new year, while in Siam (Thailand) which refers to the beginning of New year, Siamese called Sankranta, which pronounced as Songkran.
Songkran in Sanskrit forms, written as Vishuva Sankranti in Khom script epigraphs, which marked the beginning of the New Year in the Odisha calendar and referred to the sun on midday has equally orbited in the day and night, was found in Thailand at these locations;
The word Songkran not only can be found those Thai archaeological evidences, but also being recorded by foreigners who ever lived in Thailand. Its meaning especially marked the beginning of Songkran festival, holidays, water-splashing and Siamese new year observances different the meaning of the Sanskrit word, saṅkrānti which can be found in these contemporary archives;
Also found in these Thai contemporary archives;
Songkran celebrations are held in many parts of the country. One of the most notable celebrations is at the Wat Pa Buddharangsee Buddhist Temple in the Sydney suburb of Leumeah, New South Wales. The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year and involves a water fight, daily prayer, dance performances and food stalls which serve food of Thai, Bangladesh (CHT), Burmese, Cambodian, Laotian, Sri Lankan and Malaysian origin.[57] [58] In 2014, the celebration was attended by more than 2000 people.[59] Similarly in the same suburb, the Mahamakut Buddhist Foundation organizes a Songkran celebration featuring chanting, blessing, a short sermon, a fund raising food fete and Southeast Asian traditional dances.[60] Large scale Thai New Year (Songkran) celebrations are held in Thai Town, Sydney in the popular tourist suburb of Haymarket, New South Wales.[61] In Melbourne, the Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) New Year festival is held annually in Dandenong, Victoria.[62] In 2011, it attracted more than 5000 people and claims to be the largest Sinhalese New Year Festival in Melbourne.[63] The Queen Victoria Market held a two-day Songkran event celebrating the Thai New Year in early April 2017.[64] Songkran celebrations celebrating the Thai, Cambodian, Lao, Burmese and Sri Lankan New Year festivals are well known and popular among the residents of the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, New South Wales which is home to large populations of Cambodians, Laotians and Thais.[65] Temples and organisations hold celebrations across the suburb including a large Lao New Year celebration in the neighbouring suburb of Bonnyrigg organised in partnership with the Fairfield City Council.[66] [67] In the Melbourne suburb of Footscray, Victoria a Lunar New Year celebration initially focusing on the Vietnamese New Year has expanded into a celebration of the Songkran celebrations of the Thais, Cambodians, Laotians and other Asian Australian communities such as Chinese who celebrate the New Year in either January/February or April.[68] Taronga Zoo in Sydney, New South Wales celebrated the Thai New Year in April 2016 with its Asian elephants and traditional Thai dancers.[69]
Songkran celebrations often occur in cities which host large Sri Lankan, Thai, Burmese, Laotian and Cambodian populations. The UW Khmer Student Association hosts a new year celebration at the University of Washington in Seattle. The White Center Cambodian New Year Street Festival is held at the Golden House Bakery & Deli in Seattle.[70] The Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara in Pasadena, California celebrates the Songkran festival with a focus on the Sri Lankan New Year. The Brahma Vihara in Azusa, California also holds celebrations with a Burmese New Year focus.[71] The International Lao New Year Festival is held annually in San Francisco and celebrates the Lao New Year with acknowledgment of other Asian communities, Thai, Cambodian, Burmese, Sri Lankan and the Dai people of southern China, who also celebrate the same festival.[72] In February 2015, the Freer and Sackler gallery in Washington D.C. held a Lunar New Year event celebrating the "Year of the Sheep" which also celebrated the Lunar New Year that occurs in mid-April for many other Asian countries. It included activities, information and food from China, Korea, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and other Asian countries that celebrated either of the two new year celebrations.[73] Similarly in 2016, The Wing in Seattle held a Lunar New Year celebration centered around the East Asian Lunar New Year however also focused on New Year customs in Laos as part of its "New Years All Year Round" exhibit.[74]
On April 2, 2024, The legislative assembly of New York State, adopted legislative bill of Commemorating the Asian American community's celebration of Songkran on April as an important cultural event on the state as Assembly Resolution No. 1059:[75] -