Quote:
Originally Posted by dreams
A dry 30 to 33C is perfect weather for me. 
Stitchawl - The water throwing is a tradition? Where did it originate and why? |
Water 'sprinkling' is a traditional part of Buddhist blessings. The operative word being 'sprinkling.' When a Buddhist monk blesses you (as as he did my bike last week,) he will dip a bundle of long grass into the water bowl and flick it at you (or the bike) while reciting sutras. You get a few drops on you.
For the New Year, the more reserved Thai Buddhists will walk up to someone, and dipping their fingers into a silver bowl filled with water, 'sprinkle' a few drops
on the other person's shoulder while wishing them a happy new year. That's the real tradition... But as the New Year day arrives near the end of the hottest, driest part of the year, following several months of blistering heat and unremitting sun, someone somewhere must have said 'gee, that water sure feels cooling. Would you sprinkle me some more?' The rest is history...
In every city in Thailand, this huge water throwing party lasts anywhere from 3 days to a full week. The idea is to have a MUCH water thrown AT you as possible. The more water you receive, the better the blessing. Often the water is mixed with flour... As you can see from those photos, people line the streets with hoses, water canons, and buckets, throwing them at the people in the cars and trucks who are busy throwing water back at the people lining the streets! My city is famous for its "Songkran Holiday" happenings, and it goes on longer here than anywhere else in the Kingdom. If you want/need to get anything done in town during the week, and not get wet, you have to go out early in the morning and get back inside before about 11am. Usually the Thai's are VERY aware of who wants to stay dry, and will not throw water at them. Unfortunately, the thousands of foreign tourists who come to Chiang Mai never seem to learn this, and will drench anyone and everyone within range...
Try a Google Image search for Songkran and you'll see hundreds of photos taken all over Thailand, everyone having a wonderful time... except the people who need to stay dry. I keep my camera in my diving underwater housing, and keep my cell phone in a waterproof case. Even the police have to wrap their guns in plastic bags during this holiday!
Stitchawl