WoRLd TREkkERz

 Songkran Water Festival - Chiang Mai _ Thailand  Songkran (Thailand) The Songkran festival (Thai: เทศกาลสงกรานต์, pronounced [ tʰêːt.sā.kāːn sǒŋ.krāːn ]) is the Thai New Year's festival. The Thai New Year's Day is 13 April every year, but the holiday period includes 14–15 April as well. The word " Songkran " comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti (Devanāgarī:  literally " astrological passage ", meaning transformation or change. The term was borrowed from , the name of a harvest festival celebrated in January to mark the arrival of spring. It coincides with the rising of Aries on the astrological chart, the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia. The festive occasion is in keeping with the Buddhist solar calendar. New year traditions The Songkran celebration is rich with symbolic traditions. Mornings begin with merit-making. Visiting local temples and offering food to the Buddhist monks is commonly practiced. On this spec...