In parallel to Mesha Sankranti was a third series of New Years, also based on the Sun’s entry into Aries: the traditional New Year in Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, as well in certain regions of India, China and northern Vietnam. This post from @vietlaokhmer describes some of the similarities and differences in the slides which I recommend reading and help explain the complex picture of new years around this time based in shared and regionally differing cultures. In Thailand, the festival is called Songkran. The traditional calendar calculations for Songkran are epic. This year according to complex sums based on the ancient Suriyayart scriptures, Songkran began at 3:39:36am on 14 April, and ended at 7:37:12am on 16 April 2021. In Laos, Pi Mai Lao is the start of the Lao Buddhist calendar for which the year is 2564. In Cambodia, Choul Chnam Thmey starts the new year in the Khmer calendar. Thingyan is teh festival in Myanmar - more in following posts. Water is a feature for most of these festivals, with origins in new year and Buddhist cleansing rituals. And as this is also the hottest time of the year for many, water-sprinkling has evolved in some places into wild public water fights. Here’s to a wet and Happy New Year. Repost @vietlaokhmer: We would like to wish a happy new years celebration to the various countries and cultures of Southeast Asia! From Cambodia to Laos to India to Sri Lanka, this "Solar New Years" celebration is distinct from the Lunar New Year or the Gregorian calendar New Year, typically being celebrated in the second week of April. Though there are some specific cultural differences, most new years celebrations stress a reverence for ancestors and elders, welcoming good luck for the coming year, and cleaning oneself of bad spirits using water in holy ceremony or through playful recreation. . #solarnewyear #newyear #panasianunity #southeastasia #myanmar #cambodia #laos #thailand #buddhism #cultural #traditions #hinduism #celebration #april #choulchnamthmey #cambodiannewyear #khmernewyear #ancestors #vietlaokhmer #songkran #pimailao #thingyan https://www.instagram.com/p/CN-LGpVlLqW/?igshid=xq16bkx0crru
