Thingyan: The festival that celebrates Burmese New Year by splashing water
The customs and rituals of New Year celebrations vary from culture to culture. Also, various ethnic groups have their own calendars. So, unlike the Gregorian calendar, which is mostly followed all over the world and has 1st January marked as the New Year, these culture-specific calendars have their own dates for the beginning of a year. Take for example, the Chinese lunisolar calendar. It usually begins once the new moon appears between 21st January and 20th February. In fact, in India itself, several communities celebrate New Year in separate times of the year. While the Bengalis and the Punjabis celebrate Poila Boisakh and Vaisakhi during mid-April every year, Andhra Pradesh observes their New Year (Ugadi) during the spring equinox.
The same applies for Myanmar as well. They celebrate the Burmese New Year Thingyan in the middle of April as per the Buddhist calendar. It is a multi-day affair that comes with its own set of rituals, customs, and traditions. One unique custom that they follow is splashing water on one another and offering scented water to monks. This year, Thingyan will be celebrated from 13th to 16th April. On this auspicious occasion, today let us delve deeper into the history, traditions and rituals of the festival.
Thingyan at a glance
First things first. Thingyan is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘samkranti’ which refers to the shift of the Sun from the constellations Pisces to Aries. It is not only the Buddhist New Year, but the official Burmese New Year too. Historical sources suggest that the festival can be traced back to the ancient Tagaung Dyansty. But back then, the celebrations were restricted to the aristocrats only. However, the festival became mainstream a century later during the rule of king Pagan between 849 AD and 1297 AD. It usually lasts for 3 to 4 days that culminates in the New Year. What is interesting is that this New Year happens almost at the same time other Southeast Asian countries celebrate theirs, including Songkran in Laos and Thailand, Choul Chnam Namey in Cambodia and Baisakhi in India.
Legend behind Thingyan
Not many know, but Thingyan actually originated from the Buddhist version of a Hindu myth. Turns out, the ruler of the universe Lord Brahma lost a challenge to the King of the Gods, Sakra. Consequently, he decapitated Brahma. However, the head of an elephant was put in its place and Brahma thus converted into Lord Ganesha. Now, as it turns out, out of anger, Brahma refused to keep on the elephant head and used to toss it around. In fact, his powers ensured that when it was thrown into the sea, it will dry up, while if it was thrown onto land, it will be scorched. Likewise, if the head was tossed up into the air, the sky will burst into flames. Realising the threat it was posing, Sakra made a plan. He commissioned many goddesses to take turns and carry around the elephant head of Brahma, supporting on his body. Over the years, this legend has become the basis for the Burmese New Year. People believe that the fresh year represents the changing of hands of Brahma’s elephant head.
The traditions of Thingyan
In case you didn’t know, Buddhists live by five precepts: Refrain from taking life, refrain from taking what is not given, refrain from misuse of senses, refrain from wrong speech and refrain from consuming intoxicants. However, during the observance of Thingyan, they follow three additional precepts.
Pre-Days: One such is having only one meal before noon and fasting for the rest of the day, almost like the Muslim’s Ramadan or Christian’s Lent. This is what the first and second days of the festival called Pre-Days is all about.
Another ritual is offering alms to the monks in the monasteries especially a green coconut with its stalk intact and covered by a bunch of green bananas. They also scatter scented water upon Buddha’s idols that represents a ceremonial cleansing from head to toe.
Next up comes a celebration with music, dance, and revelry while people wait for the long-anticipated water festival, the most important part of the New Year.
A-Kya-Nei and the Water Festival: The next day is called A-Kya-Nei and formally kickstarts the festival when they believe that Thagyamin (Buddhist equivalent of Lord Indra, the King of Heavens) makes his descent on Earth from his celestial abode. To mark this occasion, a-hmyauk (a cannon) is fired allowing people to come out with vessels full of water and pour it onto the ground while chanting prayers to bring them good luck and fortune in the New Year. Following this starts the water festival when people sprinkle scented water on each other. The idea is to wash away the sins and bad luck from the previous year. However, in present times, it has turned into merry-making where everyone enjoys a country-wide shower before the onset of the summer. Things like water balloons, hoses and even water guns are used for fun. Interestingly, people use the sweet-fragrance yellow coloured flower Padauk to scent the water, that blooms one day per year, during the time of Thingyan. Maybe that’s why it is often called “Thingyan flower.”
A-Tet-Nei: It refers to the eve of the New Year when Thagyamin is believed to return to his heavenly abode and the water festival is wrapped up. On this day, glutinous rice balls mixed with jaggery, and coconut milk is tossed into boiling water in a huge wok, which is then served as a communal snack called mont lone yay baw.
New Year Day: Also called hnit hsan ta yet nei, the New Year Day is all about paying tribute to the ancestors and elders. This is done by touching their feet and offering water in a terracotta pot. The ritual involves young people washing the hair of their seniors using shampoo beans and bark. It is a way of redemption and keeping away karma. Another custom is rescuing fishes from drying water bodies and later releasing them into bigger habitats. It is accompanied by a prayer “I release you once, you release me ten times.” It is a way of seeking forgiveness from the universe and Mother Nature. People also preach the teachings of Buddha on this day.