Happy Songkran Day (Thai New Year) Let's take a look at the history and origins of Songkran Day.
- Kawinthip Rahaeng
- May 5
- 4 min read

Songkran Day falls on April 13 of every year. The word "Songkran" comes from Sanskrit, meaning movement or moving, referring to the movement of the sun from one zodiac sign to another, which is the New Year's Day. According to the meaning in Sanskrit, Songkran therefore occurs every month. As for the period that Thai people call "Songkran", it is the period when the sun moves from Pisces to Aries, which is considered Maha Songkran because it is the day and time that begins the new year according to the horoscope. The Songkran festival is on April 13-14-15, which is called Maha Songkran Day. April 13 is called Wan Nao. April 14 is Wan Thaling Sok.
In the past, Songkran Day was considered the Thai New Year, which fell after the harvest season. Ancient people thought of doing activities to relax after work and give young men and women an opportunity to meet and play water together to relieve the heat in April.
Nowadays, the Songkran ceremony has been changed to be the Songkran Festival. In the Songkran ceremony, water is used as a symbol that is the main element of the ceremony, which contradicts the meaning of summer, the time when the sun moves into the Aries zodiac. On this day, water is poured on each other for refreshment, blessings are asked from elders, and gratitude is paid to deceased ancestors. Later, in modern Thai society, there has been a tradition of returning home during the Songkran festival. Songkran Day is considered a family day. There are also traditions that have been passed down from the past, such as bathing the Buddha image, which brings good fortune and is a happy start to the new year.
Bathing the Buddha image, pouring water to ask for blessings from elders, and playing with water among people of the same generation or younger are beautiful traditions. Therefore, preserving the Songkran tradition should help preserve the spiritual value, kindness, respect and gratitude, and helping nature and the environment.
It is believed that all Thais know "Nang Songkran", but we may not know where Nang Songkran came from.
The legend about Nang Songkran is found in the stone inscription at Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram or Wat Pho, Tha Tien. In short, when Songkran Day falls on a certain day each year, there will be a Nang Songkran for that day.
When Songkran Day falls on a certain day each year, there will be a Nang Songkran for that day. On Sunday, the name will be “Tungsadevi”, on the moon, “Korat Devi”, on Tuesday, “Raksa Devi”, on Wednesday, “Mantadevi”, on Thursday, “Kirini Devi”, on Friday, “Kimita Devi”, on Saturday, “Mahotradevi”.
Dharmabala Kumara is a deity that Indra gave to be born in the womb of a wealthy man’s wife. When he grew up, he learned the language of birds and finished studying the Tripih when he was only 7 years old. He became a teacher who gave auspicious words to people. One day, Thao Kabil Phrom came down to ask Dharmabala Kumara 3 questions. If Dharmabala Kumara could answer, he would cut off his head to worship him. But if he could not answer, he would cut off Dharmabala Kumara’s head himself. Dharmabala Kumara asked to answer the questions in 7 days.
When the time came, Thao Kabil Phrom came according to his promise. Dharmabala Kumara took the answers he heard from the birds to answer Thao Kabil Phrom, causing Thao Kabil Phrom to lose the questioning. And before cutting off the head, Thao Kabil Phrom called his seven daughters, who were angels, to bring trays to receive it because Thao Kabil Phrom's head was the center of all bad things. If it was placed on the ground, the world would be burned. If it was thrown into the air, there would be no rain. If it was thrown into the ocean, the water would dry up.
Therefore, the seven daughters took turns taking care of Thao Kabil Phrom's head. Every year, they would take turns carrying Thao Kabil Phrom's head around Mount Sumeru for 60 minutes and then enshrining it in the Kanthuli Cave on Mount Kailash. This is the origin of Nang Songkran, with each daughter taking turns performing the duties on the Maha Songkran Day.
Thai beliefs hold that if birds and fish are released on Songkran Day, it will wash away the sins and ward off bad luck, leaving only happiness and prosperity on the New Year's Day. The release of birds and fish, which is a ceremony that is held every year, can be seen at Pak Lat, where there is a beautiful and magnificent procession in the evening. At night, there will be various games such as playing sabaa. Young people will have the opportunity to get close to each other.
Thank you for the information from: Expert in audiovisual studies, National Library of Ratchamangkla, Chanthaburi, Office of Fine Arts 5, Prachinburi
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