In Holland, where I grew up, the new year is usually associated with fireworks. Loud bangs to chase away the old year while people welcome the new year just after midwinter. Here in Thailand however, the people have a different view on the new year and their vision seems to make a lot of sense. To the Thai the new year (which is celebrated around the time of the spring equinox on April 13, 14, and 15) is a time of forgiveness, of wiping the slate clean and starting the new year clean and fresh. Instead of fireworks, it is associated with water. Lots and lots of water, helped by the very high temperatures around this time of the year. 'Songkran' is the biggest festival in the year, and the only time absolutely everything is closed while the usually dignified and calm Thai completely let go. From all over the country, people travel back to their parents in order to celebrate the new year with their families. Anyone who has been to Thailand during songkran has seen the often wild celebrations, especially in the bigger cities, where absolutely everyone gets soaking wet, but few tourists get to see the real celebration and the original ritual behind all these water festivities.
It usually starts at the temple, where water is sprinkled on the hands of the many Budha statues, in order to ask for forgiveness for all the sins of the past year. Long rows of people assemble to honor the forefathers and wash away all the debts of the past year.
The death, whose ashes are traditionally cemented into the temple wall, are not forgotten either, and a little water is sprinkled on each of the urns in order to ask forgiveness from the forefathers.
Even the statues of all the various animals get a little splash of water as they too might harbor grievances and need to start the new year with a clean slate. Forgiving is what this is all about.
Once the forefathers have been honored, it is time to gather the whole family together and forgive all the debts and grievances which should not be taken into the new year. People are assembled in age order: the oldest grandmother will sit down first and one after another the whole family will kneel for her and sprinkle some water on her hands in order to ask for forgiveness and a new fresh start.
By placing her hands on the head or shoulder of the younger person, and often adding some words of advice, the grandmother will acknowledge the clean slate and a fresh start. Once he or she has been cleaned, the next eldest person takes a seat next to the grandmother, while the ritual is repeated.
Given the fact that most youngsters work somewhere far away and there are only a few occasions when the whole family is assembled together, this ritual is extremely important to the Thai. It re-establishes the bond between all the family members and it makes certain there will not be any long-standing grievances between family members. Everyone starts the new year with a clean slate.
Once all the grievances have been settled and forgiven, it is time for the real party, which, being Thai, mostly centers on food, lots of very good and extremely spicy food! A time of celebration. Flowers and white (talk powder) on the faces are part of the ritual too. This is a time of happiness, of letting go.
And then there is water, lots of water! None can pass by on the street without getting wet as everyone starts the new year soaking wet and clean. As temperatures range close to 40 degrees Celcius at this time of the year, a bit of water is absolutely no problem and it is a lot better and safer than all the fireworks in the western countries!
Mostly hidden away from the eyes of the tourists, who only see the huge water festivals in the tourist resorts and bigger cities, this is just an average Thai family celebrating the new year in the traditional way. A time of happiness and laughter, but also a time where bonds are renewed and sins are forgiven.
