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Songkran Tradition in Each Region

At present time, Songkran tradition in each region has become common especially in
huge provinces. However there are still uniqueness in each region which is interesting as follows.

Northern region or Lanna, they call the day that sun moves to the zodiac of Aries as
โ€œSangkranlongโ€ (Reading Sangkhanlong) which means the day that a year has passed or the
day that human body has gone old for a year. There are various activities to celebrate the
new year such as gun and firecracker firing, house cleaning, body cleaning, new dressing, etc.

The day after sangkranlong day is called โ€œWan Naoโ€ or โ€œWan Daโ€ which is the day of
preparation such as offerings to the monks, the food for monks, relatives and neighbors. It is
believed that people can not speak rude words in this day, unless their mouth will be rotten
or not achieve in their lives.

The day after Wan Nao day is called โ€œWan Phayawanโ€ or โ€œWan Thaloengsokโ€ which
is marked as the beginning of the new year. Today people are making merits, giving offerings
to the monks, listening to Dharma (Buddhaโ€™s teaching), making merits for the ancestral spirits,
pouring some water onto Buddha images and monks (Songnam Phra tradition), reinforcing the
Bodhi tree with sticks, pouring some water onto eldersโ€™ hand (Rodnam Damhua tradition), etc.

The word โ€œDamhuaโ€ normally means hair washing, but in Songkran tradition it means
paying respect, asking for forgiveness of the actions done in the past years, and asking for
eldersโ€™ blessing with flowers offering, incense, candle, and perfume named โ€œNamkhamin
Sompoiโ€ (Composition of fresh water mix with dried flowers such as Saraphi or Safflower and
burnt soap pod) together with fruits, cloths, food, etc. When the elders forgive and bless, they
use their hands dip into Namkhamin Sompoi then apply to their heads.

Songkran Tradition เน‘เน•