Songkran" is a Thai traditional New Year which starts on April 13 every year and lasts for 3 days. It is also known as the "Water Festival" as people believe that water will wash away bad luck.from the Sanskrit language and means “move into”, referring to the orbit of the sun moving into Aries.It marks the end of a 12-month cycle and the beginning of the new solar year.
At the Thai New Year there are rites and rituals that people participate in as part of the New Year blessings and Buddhist merit-making, One of these is the splashing of water. Water runs deep in the Thai New Year traditions, both as a symbol of cleansing and as a symbol of renewal.
In addition to the cleansing of the Buddha images a traditional Songkran involves the sprinkling of water by younger people on the older people as a tribute of respect and for blessings .This is much different from the water tossing we see on the streets and is a genuinely sincere event whereby scented water is poured over the shoulder and gently down the back of the elders.While pouring the water in this manner, people utter good wishes and words of blessing for the New Year.
The water symbolizes cleansing, refreshment of the spirit and all good things associated with life.There are other rituals and merit-making rites that people engage in at Songkran In addition to the traditional cleaning of the home and bidding the old year adieu. These include making offerings to local temples and the monks.The offerings include preserved foods cooked dishes, fresh fruit and new robes for the monks.
Also people build sand piles on the temple grounds and these sand piles represent personal pagodas built as part of the merit-making ritual.In fact, this part of the Songkran New Year festivities is done to symbolize the replacing of the sand that they have carried away on their sandals throughout the year.