Lao New Year

Lao New Year / Songkran / Pii Mai
Lao people bathing the Buddha during the New Year
Official name	Songkran (ສົງກຣານ)
Also called	Pii Mai (ປີໃໝ່)
Observed by	Lao
Significance	Marks the Lao New Year
Begins	14 April
Ends	16 April
Date	14 April
Next time	14 April 2025 (2025-04)
Frequency	annual
Related to	Thingyan, Cambodian New Year, Sinhalese New Year, Songkran (Thailand)

Lao New Year, called Songkran (Template:Lang-lo, [sǒŋkràːn]) or Pii Mai (Template:Lang-lo, [pìːmāi]), is celebrated every year from April 14 to April 16.

History

Lao New Year is a popular English name for a traditional celebration known in Laos as "Pi Mai" (in Lao language). Lao New Year is the most widely celebrated festival in Laos. The festival is also celebrated by the Lao in the United States of America, Canada, France, and Australia. Lao New Year takes place in April, the hottest time of the year in Laos, which is also the start of the monsoon season. Lao New Year or Songkran takes place at roughly the same time as the new year celebrations of many countries in South Asia like India, Sri Lanka (Puthandu) and Southeast Asia.

Festival dates

The official festival lasts for three days from April 13 to April 15 (although celebrations can last more than a week in towns like Luang Prabang). The first day is the last day of the old year. Houses and villages are properly cleaned on the first day. Perfume, water and flowers are also prepared for the Lao New Year. The second day of the festival is the "day of no day", a day that falls in neither the old year or the new year. The last day of the festival marks the start of the new year.

Traditions

Water

Pii Mai celebration, flour throwing

Water is used for washing homes, Buddha images, monks, and soaking friends and passers-by. Students first respectfully pour water on their elders, then monks for blessings of long life and peace, and last of all they throw water at each other. The water is perfumed with flowers or natural perfumes. Some people prefer flowers in the water to give a pleasant smell, as well as adding cologne/perfume. Over the years another tradition has developed with Lao New Year: people will smear or throw cream (shaving cream or whipped cream) or white powder on each other during the celebrations.

Sand

Sand is brought to the temple grounds and is made into stupas or mounds, then decorated before being given to the monks as a way of making merit. There are two ways to make the sand stupas. One way is to go to the beach, and the other way is to bring sand to the vat, or temple. Sand stupas are decorated with flags, flowers, white lines, and splashed with perfumed water. Sand stupas symbolize the mountain, Phoukhao Kailat, where King Kabinlaphrôm's head was kept by his seven daughters.

Animals

Another way to make merit at this time is to set animals free. The Lao believe that even animals need to be free. The most commonly freed animals are tortoises, fish, crabs, birds, eels, and other small animals.

Flowers

Flowers are gathered to decorate Buddha images. In the afternoons people collect fresh flowers. Senior monks take the younger monks to a garden filled with flowers, where they pick flowers and bring back to the wat to wash. People who didn't participate in the flower picking bring baskets to wash the flowers so the flowers can shine with the Buddha statues. In the evening lao people usually go to the temple to worship the Buddhas.

Beauty pageant

There is an annual beauty pageant in Luang Prabang to crown Miss Pimai Lao (Miss Lao New Year). There are many beauty pageants in Laos, but Luang Prabang - the old capital - is widely known for its Nangsangkhan pageant. There are seven contestants, each one symbolizing one of King Kabinlaphrôm's seven daughters.

Music and dance

During Lao New Year, there are many spectacles including traditional Lao music, molam, and lamvông (circle dancing). During the daytime almost everybody is at the temple worshiping, hoping to have a healthier and happier life in the new year. During the evening, people of all ages go to the Vat for entertainment.

Greetings

There are several ways to wish someone a happy Lao New Year. The most common expressions are sôk di pi mai, souksan van pi mai or sabaidi pimai, which can be translated into English as "Happy New Year".

External links

• Sabaidee Pbeemai Lao Festival
• Lao New Year on ThingsAsian.com