Legend of Songkran

Songkran is considered the Thai New Year. The word Songkran comes from Sansakrit language which means passing or moving. It is the moving of the sun to Aries.HistoryOnce upon a time before Buddhist Era, there is a millionaire family that suffered due to they have no sun to extend the family. There was a man next door who always drunken said to the millionaire that his life is better than the millionaire event he has no money but he has a children to extend his family.
Since then, the millionaire started praying to the sun and the moon to ask for a sun. but three year passed by, it was no result.

One day, it is the Songkran day. The millionaire went to a big banyan tree. He ordered his followers to wash rice with clean water 7 times, and cooked the rice to sacrifice the gods who dwelled there. The gods felt pity of his suffer. So they went to meet the Indra god to ask for help. Indra god ordered a god named “Thammaban” to born in the millionaire family.Prince Dhammaban was very genius. The fame of his genius reached to a god name “King Kabilaprom”. The king would like to test his intelligent by asking three questions:1. Where is human’s splendor (good signs) in the morning?2. Where is human’s splendor in the midday?3. Where is human’s splendor in the night?The condition was he willing to sacrifice his head if the answer correct, meanwhile if the prince Thammaban gave the wrong answer, he must die as well.The prince could not answer immediately. So he negotiated to answer the question within seven days. After six days, the prince still could not get the answer. He left out from his palace to jungle.He was tried and lied down under a big tree. In the tree, there was a bird family in a nest.

A female bird asked the husband where to search for food tomorrow. The male bird said no need to search for food tomorrow as they would eat the prince Thammaban meat after he was killed. The female bird asked for the story, and the male bird told her the entire story and said that he knew the answers were:1. The human’s splendor (good signs) is in the face in the morning. That’s why people wash their face in the morning.2. The human’s splendor is in the chest in the midday. That’s why people paint their chest with perfume in the midday.3. The human’s splendor is in the foot in the night. That’s why people wash their foot before go to bed. The prince knew the bird language. He went back to palace and correct answers the question in the day after. The king needed to cut his head as promised. He then called his seven daughters; Tungsatevee, Korakatevee, Ragsotevee, Montatevee, Kirineetevee, Kimitatevee, and Mahotorntevee to assign the duty to carry his head after it was cut because his head was very powerful. If his head touch the earth, the world would be on fire. If the head touch the ocean, it would be drought. And there would be no rain and a serious drought would also occurred if his head was thrown to the sky.
The seven daughters needed to carry the head of the king clockwise around the mountain called Phra Sumane. Once Songkran day (13 of April), falls on any day, that year would be honored by that Nang Songkran. This year 2009 (BE 2543) 13 April is match to Monday. So, we have Korakatevee to be Nag Sonkran. She wears yellow dress with pearl ornaments, preferred butter oil, dagger in the right hand, walking cane in the left hand, tiger as the vehicle.

Songkran Phrapradaeng

Date18-20 April 2008
VenueDowntown district of Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan
ActivitiesSwan and centipede flags parade, Miss Songkran parade, decorated vehicles and all beautiful ladies wearing Thai Raman dresses parades also traditional local games especially Sa-ba of Thai Raman tribe, and paying homage to the elderly, Miss and Mister Songkran beauty contest as well as how to play splashing water as Thai-Raman traditional way Hi-Light
20 April 2008
13.00 hrs.
Miss Songkran festival parade
15.30 hrs.
birds & fishes parade for releasing them back to the nature being held at Wat Protget Chettharam
18-20 April 2008
19.00 hrs.
Traditional local game ( Sa-ba Raman and Sa-ba Toi) being held at ancient Plaeng FaiFa fort and Raman village.
Further InformationPhra Pradaeng district office Tel: 0 2463 4891 ext. 129-130TAT Central Region Office, Region 8 (Nakhon Nayok) Tel: 0 3731 2282, 0 3731 2284

Nang Songkran

According to legend, this story involves King Kabilaprom and Prince Thammaban. Born to a wealthy family, Prince Thammaban was very intelligent since he was only seven years old, as King Kabilaprom asked him three questions with the conditions that if his answers were correct, King Kabilaprom was willing to sacrifice his head but if they were wrong, the Prince must do likewise.And the questions focus on the good signs of a person at each period of the day from morning to noon until the evening.
To the surprise of the King, the Prince answered the questions correctly. As per the good sign of a person in the morning is at the face, at the chest at noon, and at the foot in the evening. The King then had to cut off his head as proposed. However, the King’s head had been so powerful that the whole world would be on fire if the head touched the earth, that a serious drought would occurred and that all ocean water would dry up should it be thrown up in the sky or down in the ocean, respectively. Evidently, the King had assigned his seven angel daughters to take turns carrying his head clockwise around Phra Sumane Mountain. And if Songkran Day ( April 13 ) falls on any day of the following, that year will be honoured by that Nang Songkran.
Sunday: “ Tungsatevee ’’Red dress, preferred wild fruit, discus in the right hand, shell in the left hand, garuda as the vehicle.
Monday: “ Korakatevee ”Yellow dress with pearl ornaments, preferred butter oil, dagger in the right hand, walking cane in the left hand, tiger as the vehicle.Tuesday: “ Ragsotevee”Light red dress with agate ornaments, preferred blood, trident in the right hand, arrow in the left hand, pig as the vehicle.
Wednesday: “ Montatevee”Emerald green dress with cat’s eye ornaments, preferred milk and butter, sharp iron in the right hand and walking cane in the left hand, donkey as the vehicle.
Thursday: “ Kirineetevee”Greenish yellow dress with emerald ornaments, preferred nuts and sesame seeds, elephant hook in the right hand, gun in the left hand, elephant as the vehicle.
Friday: “ Kimitatevee”White dress with topaz ornament, preferred banana, dagger in the right hand, Indian vina in the left hand, buffalo as the vehicle.
Saturday: “ Mahotorntevee”Black dress with onyx ornaments, preferred hog deer, discus in the right hand, trident in the left hand, peacock as the vehicle.
Evidently, the prediction for the New Year will be made according to that particular day of the Nang Songkran. For example, if the preferred food of Miss Songkran is nuts and sesame seeds, it is predicted that the year will be productive, prosperous and healthy. And if the preferred food is blood, the prediction would go for a bloody year with quarrels. And if Miss Songkran prefers to carry a gun, it is predicted that the weather would be full of thunderstorms, etc. Also, at the venue where the grand Songkran Festival is organized, a procession of the Miss Songkran is indispensable for the people to appreciate the festival.

Songkran Activities

Offering food to monksOn the dawn of the first day of the incoming year, people will prepare the best varieties of food to offer to monks. They will also dress up in their best attire. After giving alms to monks, monks will eat the offered food in a temple hall. People will go home after monks finish their meal.

There is no specific date for making sand pagodas. Itcan be done on any days close to Songkran in temple grounds or on a riverbank. People in Kamphaengphet province also make offerings to monks on a riverbank. People in Nakhon Si Thammarat build their sand pagodas twice; first in a temple on the last day of the outgoing year, and then in the grounds of their houses on the first day of the incoming year. Sand used for building pagodas is often taken from a riverbank.

Releasing birds and fishThis tradition began a long time ago and it is normally done during the Songkran festival. Before the festival, the weather is usually very warm and there is not enough water in ponds and rivers for fish to dwell; as a result, people will go out to catch fish in dry ponds. Small fish which cannot be eaten will be kept at home until Songkran when there is more water, and then they will be released back to their natural habitat. This tradition has evolved over time and is widely practiced nowadays. At present, in addition to fish, people also free birds as an act of merit-making.

Song Nam, Rot Nam, and Sat Nam To bathe a Buddha image, people will first make an offering of flowers, candles, and incense sticks to the image. Then they will sprinkle lustral water signifying bathing onto the image as a gesture of respect. A procession of the Buddha image will be made prior to the bathing. After that people will also bathe a Buddhist monk, usually the chief monk, by pouring lustral water over him. The chief monk will change into a new robe offered to him by laymen, then he will give a sermon and bless people who attend these bathing rituals. Besides, people will also call on elders and respected ones to ask for their blessings. After that, people will play by splashing water at one another. A feast in the temple grounds will follow. Traditional desserts will be served there.The Songkran festival is very much related to water, since people believe that water splashing will induce abundant rainfall in the incoming year. Water is also a symbol of fertility and is used to clean up bad things. As a result, water is used widely in different ceremonies and rites of passage.

Rod Nam Dam HuaPeople in Northwest Thailand conduct the bathingritual to the elders and respected ones on New Year’s Day. Apart from flowers, candles, incense sticks, and new clothes, betel nuts, Acacia water, and traditional perfume are also part of the gifts presented. Betel nut is a symbol of respect and hospitality. In the old days, Acacia water was used as soap. Once the elders receive the gifts, they will sprinkle the Acacia water and the perfume on top of the younger family members’ heads to give them blessings.
Nowadays, some people still bring their new clothes and personal belongings along with other ritual objects, such as banana, sugarcane, and jackfruit leaves, to the temple so that Buddhist monks can sprinkle them with holy water in order to purify the clothes. These clothes and objects will be kept untouched for days for auspiciousness