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Khmer Culture: Khmer new year
- 1. University of Cambodia Lecturedby: Mut Somoeun, M.Ed KHM 140: Khmer Culture
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- 3. Khmer New Year •Cambodian New Year in Khmer, literally means "Enter New Year", is the name of the Cambodian holiday that celebrates the traditional Lunar New Year. • The holiday lasts for three days beginning on New Year's Day, which usually falls on April 13th or 14th, which is the end of the harvesting season, when farmers enjoy the fruits of their labor before the rainy season begins. • The Khmer New Year coincides with the traditional solar new year in several parts of India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.
- 4. • Previously, Khmerpeople celebrated Khmer New Year in first month of lunar calendar (Khae Mikase) • Later on Khmer formally adopted the solar calendar and held the Khmer New Year Festival in Khè Chèt (fifth month) that is a free time from their farming.
- 5. • The auspiciousoccasion of the Khmer New Year is detailed in the astrological almanac and extends over three days. • The first day is known as Maha Sangkran or “Great Almanac Day”, the second day is called Veara Vanabath or “Worshipping Day”, and the third day is known as Veara Leung Sak or “Rank and Promotion Day”. • Of the three days Veara Leung Sak is considered the most auspicious.
- 7. • Maha Sangkran(មហាសង្រ្កា ន្ត), derived from Sanskrit, the name of the first day of the new year celebration. • People dress up and light candles and burn incense sticks at shrines, where the members of each family pay homage to offer thanks for the Buddha's teachings by bowing, and kneeling themselves three times before the image. • For good luck people wash their face with holy water in the morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they go to bed.
- 8. • Vireak Vanabat(វិ រៈវិនន្ត )is the name of the second day of the new year celebration. • People contribute charity to the less fortunate by helping the poor, servants, homeless, and low-income families. • Families attend a dedication ceremony to their ancestors at monasteries.
- 9. • Vearak LoengSak (វាៈវឡ ើងស័ក) or T'ngai Loeng Sak in Khmer is the name of the third day of the new year celebration. • Buddhists wash the Buddha statues and their elders with perfumed water. • Bathing the Buddha images is a symbolic practice to wash bad actions away from household items. • It is also thought to be a kind deed that will bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in life. • By washing their grandparents and parents, the children can obtain from them best wishes and good pieces of advice to live the life for the rest of the year.
- 10. • In temples,people erect a sand hillock (Puon Phnom Ksach) on temple grounds. They mound up a big pointed hill of sand or dome in the center named Valuka Chaitya, the stupa at Tavatimsa where the Buddha's hair are buried. • The big stupa is surrounded by four small ones, which represent the stupas of the Buddha's favorite disciples: Sariputta, Moggallana, Ananda, and Maha Kassapa. • There is another tradition called Sraung Preah (ស្សង់ស្រះ): pouring water or liquid plaster (a mixture of water with some chalk powder) on elder relative, or people (mostly the younger generation is responsible for pouring the water).
- 12. Main Purposes ofPuon Phnom Ksach • Dedicating to the Cholamony Cheteya in the Tavatengsa (a stupa of Buddha’s hair) • To purify and expel all bad evil things/ spirits to be away from life and family • To prosper and lengthen life
- 14. Traditional Popular Games •Cambodia is home to a variety of games played to transform the dull days into memorable occasions. During the KNY, they are traditional games played: – Chol Chhoung – Chab Kon Kleng – Bos Angkunh – Leak Kanseng, and so on
- 16. Legend of KhmerNew Year • The legend of the New Year is detailed in the Almanac event. • Once upon a time, a young man by the name of Thamabal, the son of a tycoon, had an extensive knowledge of three Vedas (ancient books on Hinduism) by the age of seven. • Thamabal had an innate ability that enabled him to understand the languages of birds.
- 17. • Thamabal’s attributesallowed him to become a layman in charge of religious ceremonies for all classes of people. • Upon hearing this news another religious leader Kabel Maha Prohm, decided to challenge Thamabal with tree riddles. • He vowed that if Thamabal could successfully answer the riddles, he would be beheaded; however if Thamabal could not answer the riddles correctly then it would be Thamabal who would be beheaded. • Thamabal insisted on having seven days to answer the puzzling enigma until Kabel Maha Prohm agreed.
- 18. • 6 dayspassed Thamabal could not find the answer and knew that he faced the prospect of being killed by Kabel Maha Prohm the next morning. • He therefore decided to hide himself and let his life fade away by natural causes laying himself under the fig trees in which a pair of eagles were nesting. • That night Thamabal listened to the eagles 'talks carefully regarding the 3 lucks of the day.
- 19. – The femaleasked, “What will we eat tomorrow morning?” – The male eagle replied, “We will eat the flesh of Thamabal because tomorrow he is going to be beheaded by Kabel Maha Prohm due to his inability to solve the riddles”. – The female then asked, “What are the riddles?” – The male answered, “The first riddle is, where is luck to be found in the morning?” • Is on the face because people always take water to wash their faces.
- 20. • Second riddle:where is the luck to be found in the noon? • Third riddle: where is the luck to be found in the evening? – Is at the feet, because people need to clean the legs before going to bed – Is on the chest, because people take water to pour/ wash on chest.
- 21. • Finally, Thamabalcould solve the riddle. Then Kabel Moha Prom was beheaded as his promise. • However, if his head fell on Earth, the fire would burn the earth. If it was thrown into the air, the water in the clouds would evaporate. If it was thrown into the sea, it would dry up the oceans. • To protect the world from the damage, his seven daughters were required to take care of their father’s head in turns for a year each.
- 22. • Every year,the seven daughters of Kabel Moha Prohm respectfully kept their father’s head on the tray and proceeded among other angels around the Mount Sumeru (the legendary home of the gods) for one hour before they took it to place at the Mount Kailash, its sanctuary.
- 24. Names of KabelMoha Prohm • The Seven Angels of the Almanac, if the annual procession falls on: – Sunday is responded by Toungsa Devi, – Monday is responded by Koreaka Devi, – Tuesday is responded by Reaksasa Devi, – Wednesday is responded by Kereney Devi, – Friday is responded by Kemera Devi, – And Saturday is responded by Mahotara Devi.
- 25. Thank for Attention! •Discussions • Questions • Answers